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| Sunday, 6 February 2005 |
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Relief, reconstruction: No Government-LTTE accord yet From Tamil Press by S. Selvakumar Despite lengthy discussions between the government and the LTTE a final decision has not been reached on joint relief work in the North-East. The Thinakkural on Monday highlighted a scheduled meeting between President Kumaratunga and the JVP following developing tension between the two main coalition partners. In another story the paper revealed attempts to obtain tsunami relief by some unscrupulous elements in the Trincomalee district submitting forged death certificates. Despite lengthy discussions between the government and the LTTE a final decision has not been reached on joint relief work in the North-East. The Sudaroli, too, led with the same story that both the government and the LTTE have problems in reaching finality on the structure and power pertaining to joint relief work. The paper quoted Justice Minister John Seneviratne and said there was no change in the government decision that relief efforts in the North-East would be carried jointly with the LTTE. The Virakesari in its lead story quoting SLMC chief Rauff Hakeem said the government was not keen in its relief efforts in the East when compared to the South and added that there were no problems in coordinating with the LTTE. JVP Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake has told the Virakesari though the JVP was highly dissatisfied with the work of the government his party does not propose to leave the alliance. Several western diplomats will visit Vanni this week to make on-the-spot study on rehabilitation and reconstruction. Tuesday the Thinakaran quoted head of the Sea Tigers Soosai and said government's assistance was necessary to rebuild the tsunami devastated North-East. The paper in another story quoted Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopullle and said the destruction by fire of a large stores where large quantities of flour was stored was an act of sabotage to create a shortage of this essential item in the market. In front page story the Thinakkural said LTTE representatives walked out of a meeting held at Thirukovil in Ampara where the public, security forces personnel and the LTTE participated. The LTTE walked out of the meeting following the entry of JVP Parliamentarian Wasantha Piyatissa who insisted that his participation, too, was necessary since it was all about rehabilitation and reconstruction. Sixty three JVP affiliated trade unions held a meeting presided by Minister Lal Kantha and highly criticised government actions, the Sudaroli said. Deputy Head of the Government Peace Secretariat John Gunaratne has said there was good rapport between the government and the LTTE in establishing a common structure to rehabilitate the North-East, the Virakesari said in its lead story. On Wednesday the Virakesari led with a story where the UNP has warned the government that if an agreement was not reached with the LTTE to form a common structure there was danger of foreign aid not reaching the country. The paper also highlighted Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister's press conference where he said the government and the LTTE should jointly engage in rehabilitation and reconstruction work. The Sudaroli quoted Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama and said there would be transparency in the expenditure on tsunami relief, since an international audit firm would be involved in the process. The Thinakkural said TNA MPs would boycott a meeting summoned by North-East Governor Tyronne Fernando to be held Wednesday at Vavuniya to discuss relief efforts in Vanni. The roof of Shinmaya Bharathi School in Sudumalai, Jaffna, collapsed suddenly injured about 25 students and ten of them were very serious. The Sudaroli said security forces personnel and the LTTE met in Jaffna and discussed the rehabilitation of tsunami hit areas in the North. The Thinakaran said surveyors have commenced work along the tsunami hit coastal areas to measure and allocate lands. The SLMC has appointed a high powered committee headed by its Treasurer Basheer Segudawood to rid the party of its shortcomings. Several highranking state officials have been appointed to tsunami hit areas to expedite relief measures, the Thinakaran said in its lead story on Friday. Thamilselvan and Norway's Ambassador are scheduled to meet on Saturday to discuss and facilitate joint efforts between the government and the LTTE on the rehabilitation in the North-East. The Virakesari said the LTTE released 23 of its under 18 cadres to their parents at the North-East human rights office. The Sudaroli said President Kumaratunga will visit Pakistan on February 7 and would discuss matters pertaining to cooperation between the two countries on military and security matters. In the heading to the story the paper with a question mark said "signing of agreement on military cooperation?" The paper quoted UNP Parliamentarian Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and said JVPers would be jailed in the rooms adjoining where S. B. Dissanayake had been jailed. The MP had said that when important decisions on privatisation of certain state ventures were discussed at the Cabinet, JVP Minister's observed silence but in public meetings they were highly critical of the government on privatisation matters. |
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