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| Sunday, 24 April 2005 |
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LTTE airstrip still out of bounds! by Ranga Jayasuriya Having written to the LTTE political chief, S.P.Thamilselvan demanding access to the Tiger runway in Iranamadu, the Ceasefire Monitors still wait for a response. SLMM acting chief Hagrup Haukland this week wrote to Thamilselvan requesting access to the LTTE airstrip, after truce monitors have repeatedly been denied access to the area. "Now, we are waiting for the LTTE's response," he said. Earlier, the SLMM local office in Vavuniya requested LTTE clearance to visit the site, but to no avail. After the failure at the local office, the acting Head of the Mission had written to Thamilselvan demanding access to the airstrip. In the late 2003, Haukland who was the then deputy chief of the SLMM was able to observe the LTTE airstrip, when an Air Force pilot deviated from the route to show him the suspected runway. When the Government through the SLMM conveyed the LTTE leadership of its concern about the airstrip, Thamilselvan admitted its existence. President Kumaratunga later wrote to Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik demanding the intervention of peace facilitators on the LTTE runway, which the Government describing it as a violation of ceasefire. Other co-chairs of the Tokyo donor conference- Japan, EU, United States and neighbouring India were also briefed on the LTTE airstrip and about alleged LTTE aircraft, which was photographed by an Unmanned Ariel Vehicle (UAV). |
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