SLMM says LTTE violated CFA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 09 April 2005, 12:24 GMT]
The LTTE has violated article 1.2 of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) which states “neither party shall engage in any offensive military operation," BBC Sinhala service quoted Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) spokeswoman Helen Maria Olafdottir as saying, referring to a recent incident where the Liberation Tigers were accused of firing a Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) patrol boat with an SLMM member on board in Trincomalee Bay off Upparu on 5 April 2005.

“We found it necessary to say that the navy boat under any circumstances had not fired at any time towards the localities of the LTTE”, Olafsdottir was quoted as saying Friday by the BBC Sinhala service.

Nordic personnel, as part of SLMM, started monitoring the CFA after the agreement was signed between the Sri Lanka government and the LTTE on the February 23, 2002.

In a press release issued in Colombo on 6th April, the SLMM said on the reporting of the event by the Sri Lanka media:

"SLMM finds it necessary to rectify false reports in relation to the shooting incident that took place in Trincomalee Bay on 5 April 2005.

"SLMM can confirm that a navy boat was on routine patrol in Trincomalee bay off the shore from Uppu Aru when fired at from the shore. The navy boat immediately left the area and headed back to base without returning fire.

"Some of the media reported that a monitor from SLMM had been injured in the incident but those reports are completely false. SLMM stresses that no one on board the boat received injuries. We regret these false media reports as they have caused unnecessary concern both here in Sri Lanka and for family and friends of SLMM monitors that are working on the island.

SLMM would like to underline the importance of responsible journalism so that rumours and disinformation do not find their way into the media causing unnecessary confusion."