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Govt., SLMM declare 

LTTE violated ceasefire in Batticaloa 

by ANTON NONIS

Both the Government and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission yesterday declared that the current clashes between the Prabha and Karuna factions in the Eastern Province were a violation of the Ceasefire Agreement of February 2002, as the confrontation has affected thousands of innocent civilians in the areas controlled by the LTTE in the East.

The Government intends to inform the Norwegian facilitators to convey the LTTE that they have violated the Ceasefire Agreement, a Defence Ministry communique said Friday.

The Deputy Chief of the SLMM Hagrup Haukland told the Sunday Observer that the SLMM chief, Major General Trond Furuhovede had discussed the security situation in the East with the Defence Secretary Cyril Herath in detail on Friday. "LTTE's political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvam has confirmed to the SLMM that the organisation has launched the attacks in the East against the Karuna faction.

The SLMM is only monitoring the CFA between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. Our involvement cannot be expected in the current clashes between LTTE factions. However, we consider the current battle between the LTTE factions as a violation of the ceasefire as it has made thousands of innocent civilians flee from the areas where the clashes are taking place," Haukland said.

Following the clashes in the East, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga instructed the three service chiefs to intensify the security in the areas controlled by the armed forces and to ensure the safety of the civilians.

According to Brigadier Tissa Jayawardena of the Eastern command, the conflict had started at the wee hours on Friday and lasted for about four hours. Reports of gun fire and huge explosions were heard from the fighting areas.

The Army and the Police have already strengthened the security measures at the boundaries of the LTTE and Government-controlled areas.

Special Task Force Commander, Deputy Inspector General of Police Nimal Lewke said strict vigilance by the STF has been intensified in the coastal areas in Kathiraveli, some eight kilometres from Verugal river, believed to be used by the Prabha faction to cross over into the territory of Karuna.

In addition, sentry points have been erected and mobile patrols have been increased in the sensitive areas. "Cadres carrying fire arms are not allowed to use the main roads in cleared areas as it was against the CFA," DIG Lewke said.

Army sources said eight cadres from the Karuna faction and 13 from the Prabha faction have been killed in the clashes. Thirty cadres from the Karuna faction have been reported injured.

Meanwhile, Air Marshal Donald Perera said that he would visit the Eastern region to assess the prevailing situation. He also said that discussions would be held in detail with the top brass of the Army in the East on handling the current situation.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief of the SLMM said that the situation was being closely monitored and there would be a serious situation if the clashes spread into the areas controlled by the armed forces.

He further said that the SLMM would meet Thamilselvan to prevent the situation getting worse.

Meanwhile, according to sources from Vanni, LTTE's special forces led by Colonel Banu were carrying out attacks supported by Colonel Sornam in the East against the Karuna faction and the prime intention of the attack was either to apprehend or kill Karuna.

Colonel Banu of the LTTE, who is heading the operation against the Karuna faction, was a contemporary of Karuna and was one time a leader of the LTTE in the East, sources said.

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