3RD LEAD (Added details)

SLMM suspends operational activities in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 January 2006, 14:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) closed its office in Trincomalee until further notice at 4 p.m. Tuesday. SLMM's day to day activities in Trincomalee district will remain suspended until the office reopens, officials said. Recent spate of killings and a number of attacks including exchange of fire with the danger of innocent travellers getting caught in fire, make it difficult for the truce monitors to move around in the district, the sources added. The monitors have urged the Sri Lankan troops to abide by their responsibility of ensuring security to the civilians. The Tigers have also been urged to use their influence on the Tamil population to calm down the sitatuion, the sources added.

SLMM Head and other members attached to the Trincomalee office will remain in their hotel, which is located in Nilaveli, about sixteen km north of east port town. They can be contacted in their hotel, SLMM sources said.

The Scandinavian monitors have said that the temporary suspension is limited to Trincomalee district alone.

The Trinco district office of the SLMM is located along Inner Harbor Road, which is situated close to Trincomalee civilian jetty.

Normally the monitors travel by vehicle through Nilaveli-Trincomalee to report to their office in the town.

The cycle bomb attack on SLN navy convoy took place Tuesday on this route.

The SLMM leadership was concerned about the safety of their officials following the escalation of attacks on Sri Lankan troopers and the retaliation gunfire by the Sri Lankan troopers on civilians in the district, informed sources said.