Colombo restricting aid flow to LTTE areas- Col. Sornam

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 January 2005, 17:58 GMT]
Colonel Sornam, Trincomalee district military commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Thursday told the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) that the Government of Sri Lanka is restricting the flow of foreign aid under the tsunami relief operations to the LTTE controlled areas. Colonel Sornam Thursday morning held discussions with Major General (retd) Trond Furuhovde for the first time since he took over the LTTE military command of the Trincomalee district last year, sources said.


SLMM head Trond Furuhovde holds talks with Colonel Sornam, Mr.Elilan and Mr.V.Velummylum of SLMM also seen

Mr.Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district political head participated in the talks with Colonel Sornam at the office of LTTE political secretariat located in Sampoor in the LTTE, controlled Muttur east.

Colonel Sornam told Major General Trond Furuhovde that the SLMM has a responsibility to ensure equal allocation of foreign aid to LTTE held areas.

He brought to the notice of the SLMM head that no aid has been channelled to LTTE areas during the recent flood and Tsunami disasters. Roads are not rehabilitated and reconstructed, he said. No relief has been given to victims of flood and tsunami, he added.

Colonel Sornam said, "in our areas we have enough strength to provide relief and other assistance to our people affected by the natural disasters. Our cadres are capable of implementing the relief mechanism."

He said "LTTE leader Pirapaharan has instructed us to provide relief to all people irrespective of any differences. We have undertaken relief measures according to our leader's instruction."

The SLMM team led by its head Major General Trond Furuhovde arrived in Muttur by a gunboat of the Sri Lanka Navy and from the Muttur jetty to Sampoor by road.


Colonel Sornam welcomesMajor General Trond Furuhovde