SLA, LTTE agree to develop procedures to prevent killings in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 2004, 10:30 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army and the Liberation Tigers Tuesday agreed in Batticaloa to “develop mechanisms to ensure information sharing and quick reaction procedures to prevent serious crimes and to ensure proper procedures to apprehend individuals perpetrating serious crimes”. The meeting was arranged amidst killings that threatened to jeopardize the cease-fire agreement between LTTE and Colombo. Col. Thambirajah Ramesh, led the LTTE delegation to the meeting with the SLA at the Vavunathivu divisional secretariat, 5 kilometres, northwest of Batticaloa town.



Speaking to the press after the meeting Col. Ramesh said that the SLA had agreed to help the Tigers investigate the killings of their cadres in Thannamunai and in Ayithiyamalai recently.

He categorically denied that the LTTE had anything to do with the killing of a military intelligence operative of the SLA in Batticaloa town on Sunday.

The following is the full text of the joint statement by the LTTE and the SLA released through the SLMM at the conclusion of the meeting:

A meeting was held today between GOSL and LTTE representatives and their delegations. The meeting took place in the Divisional Secretariat of Vavunathivu on Tuesday 11th May at 1100 hrs. The meeting was chaired by Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, Major General Trond Furuhovde.

The main topics on the agenda were; 1) avoid future killings and 2) improve investigation cooperation between the Parties.

The meeting was conducted in a cordial and pleasant atmosphere. The parties agreed to develop mechanisms to ensure information sharing and quick reaction procedures to prevent serious crimes and further, to ensure proper procedures to apprehend individuals perpetrating serious crimes. The Parties agreed to meet on a biweekly basis to work out practicalities and to continue the good cooperation between the Parties.

The Parties agreed to continue to uphold and respect the Cease Fire Agreement entered into between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on the 22nd of February 2002.

The delegation from GOSL consisted of GOC Brigadier Wijeyagoonewardena, Sri Lanka Army 23 Division, Colonel Laksiri Amaratunga, 233 Brigade, Batticaloa, Mr. Samaradiwakara, SSP Batticaloa District, Mr. Hettiarachchi, Inspector of Police, and Mr. Upul Seneviratne SSP STF.

The delegation from LTTE consisted of Col. Ramesh, Special Commander, Batticaloa and Ampara, Mr. Ram, Deputy Special Commander, Batticaloa and Ampara District, Mr. Howsalyan, Head of Political Wing, Batticaloa and Ampara District, Mr. Bavananthan, Deputy Director, LTTE Peace Secretariat, Kilinochchi, Mr. Janarthan, commander of LTTE's armed forces in Amparai, Mr. V. Jeyarthan, special commander of the LTTE's Jeyanthan Regiment and Mr. F. Manoj, an official from the LTTE's Batticaloa district secretariat.

SLMM delegation consisted of Head of SLMM, Major General Trond Furuhovde, Mr. Per Rosendahl, Head of SLMM District Office Batticaloa, and representatives.