SLMM new head to visit Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 12:48 GMT]
The Norwegian head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Major General (retd) Trond Furuhovde is scheduled to visit Jaffna district Monday. This would be his first visit to Jaffna following his assumption of duties as SLMM head on February 1st for the second time after replacing Major General Triggve Teleffsen, sources said

Major General Trond Furuhovde would be meeting defense authorities, senior government officials and representatives of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during his stay in Jaffna to assess the ground situation, SLMM sources said.

Major General Trond Furuhovde would visit Mannar and Vavuniya districts Tuesday. Thereafter he would go to Killinochchi to meet LTTE leadership, sources said.

Major General Trond Furuhovde started his northeast evaluation study tour last week from Trincomalee.

He met with LTTE Trincomalee district political head Mr.S.Tilak, Trincomalee General Officer of Commanding Major General Sunil Tennekon, and commanders of the Sri Lanka Navy and police officials. Later he toured Batticaloa district and held discussion with representatives of Sri Lanka Army and LTTE, sources said.

Thereafter in Colombo he held discussion with Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and service commanders, sources said.

Meanwhile, Colombo media sources reported Sunday that the SLMM has settled its differences with the Sri Lanka Navy that arose with the former SLMM head Major General Triggve Teleffsen regarding monitoring in sea.

The SLN earlier refused permission to Norwegian monitors to be on board and carry out monitoring. Now the SLMM would be allowed to be on board with SLN personnel to carry out monitoring activities in sea following discussion between the Navy Commander Daya Sandagiri and Major General Trond Furuhovde held Friday, sources said.