SLMM holds discussion on SU threat with SLA, Police

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 2003, 05:54 GMT]
A conference was held following a message to the SLMM by the Defense Ministry Secretary Mr. Austin Fernando that SLMM should take appropriate steps in consultation with army, police and civil administrative officials if the Sinhala nationalist party Sihala Urumaya (SU) continued its foot march towards Kurankupanchchan beyond Soorankal, sources said.

Soorankal is a village about four km away from the controversial Kurankupanchchan LTTE camp.

An official of the Sinhala Urumaya (SU) in Colombo, Mr.Udaya Gammanpila, said Monday their foot march (pada yatra) would leave Colombo to Kurankupanchchan as scheduled and there was no change in their timetable, sources said.

The General Officer in Command (GOC) of the Trincomalee district, Major General Sunil Tennekon, Deputy Inspector General of Police for eastern region Mr. Neville Wijesinghe, Trincomalee Government Agent Mr. Gamini Rodrigo and civil administrative and police officers held vital discussion with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission head in Trincomalee Mr.Abdel Burkan Monday at the office of the SLMM in Trincomalee, sources said.

The Defense Ministry Secretary Monday made a written appeal to the SU leader Mr.Tilak Karunaratne to abandon his decision to launch Kurankupanchchan journey as it would lead to ethnic disturbances in the country and would cause negative impact on the peace process, government sources said.

Meanwhile SLMM monitors in Trincomalee made a routine visit to the Kurankupanchchan LTTE camp, sources said.