Truce monitors to resume monitoring

by Thava Sajitharan

The Scandinavian truce monitors will resume ceasefire monitoring activities next week, the SLMM spokesperson, Thorfenur Omarsson told the Sunday Observer.

The latest developments came in the wake of the SLMM invitation to the Government and the LTTE to give their input to make ceasefire monitoring more effective.

Peace Secretariat Chief Dr. Palitha Kohona said the Government would respond to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission with its recommendations.

The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Chief met Dr Kohona last week to discuss the future of the SLMM role.

The SLMM spokesman said both parties responded to the SLMM request positively. "Two Monitors have already been sent to the Jaffna peninsula" he said.

"At present there are two officials working in Kilinochchi. Offices in Vavuniya, Batticaloa and Trincomalee too will begin functioning by next week" he said.

"We are fully aware of the importance of our presence in the North-East", he said.

The SLMM is conducting a workshop to analyse the possible amendments to be made in the role of the SLMM. Members of the monitoring mission were summoned to Colombo to participate in the workshop. The regional offices remained closed during the duration of the workshop. On-site monitoring was carried out by the SLMM Rapid Response Team from Colombo instead.

Asked about the outcome of the workshop the SLMM spokesperson said it was too early for him to give any information about the outcome.