Facilitator to ensure humanitarian action, sluice gates to be opened

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 August 2006, 06:15 GMT]
Norwegian Special Envoy Jon-Hanssen Bauer has assured the LTTE leadership that the facilitators would act, within three weeks, to ensure equitable humanitarian assistance as the Tiger leadership told the facilitator that the LTTE would convince the Maavilaru Tamils to re-open the closed sluice gates. The Tigers also said that the Sri Lanka's direct military actions such as air-strikes, artillery attacks and "socalled limited operations" would be regarded as Declaration of War.



The LTTE leadership, according to Norwegian International Minister Erik Solheim's request, and the assurances provided by the Norwegian facilitators, agreed to convince the Maavilaru Tamils to re-open the closed sluice-gates Sunday.

Meanwhile, the LTTE Political Head, talking to media after his meeting with the Norwegian facilitators in Kilinochchi Sunday, said the Tigers have asked the Norwegian facilitators to ensure, monitor and report the equitable humanitarian delivery in the LTTE controlled area where Colombo has imposed an un-declared economic embargo and launched attacks for the last 3 three months.

The drinking-water supply issue would be addressed.



The recent "defensive operation" by the Tigers was initiated as a military response as Sri Lankan forces launched a military offensive to resolve a civilian dispute, the LTTE Political Head reiterated.

The civilians in Trincomalee need secure transport without military harassment and abductions when they travel to Sri Lanka Army controlled areas to acquire food and medicine. The flow of food supplies, medicine and essential items to LTTE controlled areas without any blockade, resettlement of IDPs caused by the Sri Lankan attacks and the restoration of road infrastructure destroyed by the Sri Lankan attacks, need to be ensured and normalcy must be restored, Mr. Thamilchelvan said.

The Tigers could only consider the assurances of facilitators and the International Community at this stage.

A committe comprising civilian representatives and the Political Head of the Trincomalee District, S. Elilan, would be set-up by the Tigers to work with the Head of SLMM and the facilitator to address and report the humanitarian situation, Thamilchelvan further said.

Any future Sri Lankan military offensive involving air-strike, artillery attacks and "limited operations" would be interpreted as direct offensive operations and Declaration of War by Sri Lanka, the LTTE Political Head said.