SLMM political advisor meets Jaffna LTTE leaders

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 October 2003, 14:29 GMT]
The political advisor of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Sri Lanka Mr.Geir Sjøberg Tuesday held discussion with the Jaffna LTTE leaders at the office of the Jaffna LTTE political secretariat. Jaffna district political head of the LTTE Mr.C.Ilamparuthi, women political head Ms Kayalvilzi and education head Mr.Kavianban participated in the discussion, sources said.

LTTE Jaffna leaders brought to the notice of the SLMM political advisor the prevailing ground situation of the peninsula.

Later Mr.Ilamparuthi told media persons that he had brought to the notice of SLMM political advisor that fishermen are harassed by government troops and internally displaced people are not allowed to resettle in their lands and houses in the name of high security zones by the Sri Lanka Army. Mr.Ilamparuthi further said he has briefed the SLMM advisor about the newly established SLA camps and sentry points causing severe hardships to free civilian movement.

The people of Jaffna district still have the feeling that they live under a military rule even after several months have passed since the signing of the ceasefire agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, Mr.Ilamparuthi told the SLMM political advisor during the discussion which lasted for about an hour, sources said.

Mr.Geirs Sjøberg briefing about his visit to Jaffna to media persons said the talks he held with LTTE Jaffna leaders were constructive and useful. He obtained valuable information from the LTTE Jaffna leaders regarding the problems confronted by the people of Jaffna after the signing the ceasefire agreement by the GOSL and LTTE.

He further said he had brought to the notice of the SLMM leadership the increase of road accidents in Jaffna district in which army vehicles are involved and the SLMM would announce its decision shortly on this matter.

He added he would be meeting representatives of civil organizations of the district to identify problems confronting the people, media sources said.