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| Sunday, 9 October 2005 |
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Norwegians caution LTTE by Ranga Jayasuriya Norwegian peace facilitators have stressed on the LTTE political leadership that it should avoid violence in the South in the run up to the Presidential Elections unlike at previous elections. Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar who met LTTE Political-wing leader S.P.Thamilselvan on Thursday told that the LTTE should refrain from violence in the South. Ambassador Brattskar has warned that any act of violence aimed at election process could severely damage the peace process. "The Ambassador told the LTTE to refrain from violence in the South," a Norwegian Embassy spokeswoman told the Sunday Observer. She said the visit of the Ambassador was "routine," but said it was important due to the forthcoming Presidential Elections. The spokeswoman, Kjersti Tromsdal said the peace facilitators were concerned that the election process should not be disturbed by violence related to the ethnic conflict. The government has also informed the Norwegian peace facilitators that the LTTE should not attempt to disturb the election. Earlier, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Chief Hagrup Haukland raised the same issue with Thamilselvan. "I told that both parties (the government and the LTTE) should calm down during the election period," Haukland told the Sunday Observer. He said Thamilselvan gave an undertaking that the Tigers would refrain from violence. "He (Thamilselvan) said they were not planning any incidents against presidential candidates," he added. Meanwhile, former SLMM chief Trond Furuhovde will arrive in the island tomorrow to consult the government and the LTTE on the ceasefire review. Haukland said the SLMM would forward proposals to the government and the LTTE on strengthening the implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement. "One area would be to have a direct dialogue and direct communication between the commanders at the local and also central levels of both sides, he said. He also said the SLMM would request from both sides a recommitment to the Ceasefire Agreement. The SLMM would also ask for the "total freedom of movement" for the truce monitors in carrying out their duties. The SLMM chief also said the SLMM would request the two parties to settle the dispute over the Nagar Kovil Forward Defence line where the two parties have come "dangerously close" to each other. The distance between the two forward lines in some places is only 25 meters. He also said the two parties should settle issues like the disputed Buddha statue in the Trinco town. He said the two parties should revise Annex 1 of the Ceasefire Agreement which names the movement of commodities restricted to LTTE held areas. |
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