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by Ranga Jayasuriya

The LTTE yesterday pulled out from a scheduled sea transport for its cadres, after Scandinavian truce monitors ruled against a LTTE demand for an escort of armed sea Tiger vessels.

Hours after it pulled out from the sea movement, LTTE cadres blew up an army convoy and an Air Force jeep in two separate incidents killing eight security forces personnel and injuring nine. In the first incident, five soldiers were killed in a claymore explosion at Mundimurippu, Vavuniya at about 12.45 yesterday. Eight soldiers were injured in the incident. Four are in a critical condition.

The claymore mine which was fixed to a two-wheel tractor has been blown up by a remote control device, according to the security forces.

In the other incident, three air force personnel were killed in a claymore explosion in Kappalthurai on Trinco-Jaffna Road. The airmen were transporting dinner for security forces personnel on duty when their vehicle was blasted.

Yesterday, the LTTE pulled out from the scheduled sea movement to facilitate the transport of LTTE Eastern commanders to the Wanni. The Peace Secretariat Chief, Dr. Palitha Kohona said he had been informed by the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission Chief, Ulf Henricsson that the Tigers had aborted the sea movement, after their demand for an armed sea Tiger escort was dismissed by the SLMM.

The LTTE, earlier insisted on a sea transport of its Eastern commanders to the Wanni for a meeting with the LTTE leadership, making it a pre-condition for its participation in the proposed second round of talks scheduled on April 24-25 in Geneva.

LTTE political chief S. P. Thamilselvan earlier said the LTTE leadership had wanted to consult its Eastern commanders before the second round of talks . As agreed by the government and the LTTE, a group of LTTE cadres were expected to be ferried from Mullaitivu to Vakarai from there to the LTTE held areas in South of Batticaloa in a civilian ferry with the presence of the Scandinavian truce monitors. Another group of LTTE cadres were expected to travel from Batticaloa to Mullaitivu.

"The fact that they (Tigers) pulled out is a big disappointment to the government and a bigger disappointment to the peace loving people in this country," Dr. Kohona said.

"The government took every possible measure, and was extremely flexible in the face of extensive provocations and it agreed to facilitate this movement," he said referring to the stepped up violence against the security forces by the LTTE.

Dr. Kohona said the discussions that took place in Mullaitivu, was not between the government and the LTTE, but between the SLMM and the LTTE.

"The SLMM has been advised by General Henricsson and stood its ground to dismiss the LTTE claim to have a right to escort cadres in a civilian ferry,"he said.

Meanwhile, Thamilselvan yesterday wrote to the SLMM chief complaining that the Tigers cancelled the sea movement due to "excessive interference" by the Navy. SLMM spokeswoman Helen Olafsdottir, however said the presence of the Navy should not have been a surprise to the LTTE as the agreement on the sea movement acknowledged the naval presence in the area.

According to the agreement reached by the government and the LTTE in 2003 on sea movement, only the Sri Lankan Navy could escort the vessels transporting LTTE cadres.

The Peace Secretariat Chief Dr. Kohona, however, said unless something dramatic happens, the government was prepared to go to Geneva for the ceasefire talks. He cautioned that the LTTE pull-out from the sea transport would have an impact on holding the next round of peace talks.

"Yet we hope that the LTTE would still be there in Geneva for talks," he added.

A press communique from the Govt. Information Dept. states: "The LTTE has unilaterally decided to abort the sea movement for 32 of its leaders to meet for consultation prior to the forthcoming Geneva talks, despite all efforts of the government to facilitate this sea movement.

The Govt. in response to a request by the LTTE to transport 32 of its leaders from the East to meet the leadership in Kilinochchi, proposed a sea movement and offered the use of a Sri Lanka Navy ferry for this purpose.

The LTTE were not agreeable to this offer. "The GOSL thereafter offered the use of a civilian ferry operated by the Sri Lanka Central Transport Board (SLCTB) in Trincomalee escorted by SLN craft.

Following detailed consultations between Major Gen. Ulf Henricsson, Head of SLMM and the LTTE in Kilinochchi on April 12, 2006, an agreement was reached to proceed with the sea movement along the lines of the second offer. It should be recalled that the government made a sincere effort to accommodate the LTTE despite a string of provocative attacks carried out against the security forces.

"On April 13, 2006, the Secretary-General SCOPP together with the Navy Commander formulated a detailed itinerary for the sea movement which was communicated to the SLMM the same day. The civilian ferry was to transport 32 LTTE leaders from the North for disembarkation at Illankanthai and Vakarai, and return to Mullaitivu with another 32 LTTE leaders from the East.

The conditions for movement were clearly stipulated that the civilian ferry will be escorted by SLN craft to ensure its safe passage. This was in keeping with the SLMM determination of February 7, 2006, which states that the LTTE has no legitimate right to be at sea without prior authorisation approved by the Govt.

Further to this, due to the fragile security situation in the East SG/SCOPP discouraged the use of surface transportation for LTTE leaders between Kokkadichcholai and Vakarai in the Batticaloa area. However, disregarding this recommendation the LTTE insisted on effecting a surface movement in the Batticaloa area using SLMM vehicles.

The security forces in Batticaloa were thrust upon the burden of an added risk factor in this extremely volatile security environment. However, to facilitate the sea movement and in the interest of the Geneva talks the GOSL accepted the surface movement as well.

On April 14, 2006, the SLMM submitted a document titled SLMM instruction for Sea Movement April 15-16. This detailed the procedure for the proposed movement which was agreed by both the GOSL and LTTE. The SLMM instructions explicitly state that 2 SLMM monitors will be on board SLN ships following the sea movement. It is therefore, clearly established that in terms of the agreed arrangements that the SLN will escort the civilian ferry.

The GOSL regrets the decision of the LTTE to abort the sea movement after partially boarding 30 LTTE leaders to the civilian ferry off the coast of Mullaitivu. The LTTE has cited the presence of SLN craft as the reason for the cancellation when in fact the SLN escort was specifically indicated in the agreed procedures submitted by the SLMM. The LTTE is demonstrating a lack of serious commitment by finding excuses at every turn to delay the talks. This is another case in point in a series of events that have been used to further delay participation at the talks.

In addition, the LTTE has intensified unprovoked attacks on the Security Forces in the last few weeks claiming lives of over 30 Security Forces and Police personnel. This afternoon a claymore mine fixed to a tractor parked outside the Vavuniya airport exploded killing 5 soldiers and injuring 8.

The GOSL has demonstrated extreme restraint in the face of such callous provocations in the interest of giving the peace process every chance of success.

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