SLA blocks civilian movement, LTTE tells SLMM

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 August 2005, 16:29 GMT]
Mr.Semmanan, Trincomalee District Deputy Political Head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Tuesday urged the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to take immediate steps to provide relief to thousands of residents who are prevented from traveling to and from the LTTE controlled areas in the district by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) since the declaration of State of Emergency Saturday, LTTE sources said.

Mr.Semmanan briefed Mr.Arthur Tveiten, Trincomalee head of the SLMM Tuesday on the ground situation at a discussion held Tuesday morning at the LTTE district political secretariat located in Sampoor in LTTE held Muttur east, LTTE sources said.

Mr.Semmanan told the SLMM local head that even though the SLA is reported to have removed the ban on the movement of civilians the ground situation does not reflect that. Civilians are not allowed freedom of movement, LTTE sources said.

The SLA has imposed ban on the movement of civilians to and from LTTE held areas in the Trincomalee district through its checkpoints in Kaddaiparichchan, Mahindapura and Thoppur following the killing of Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar, Foreign Minister last Friday midnight.

The ban was relaxed for few hours but reimposed later.

Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee district parliamentarian Monday sent an urgent message to the President to take steps to remove the ban immediately as about forty thousand people in the Muttur east and Eachchilampaththu divisions are being prevented from attending their day to day business, and patients from obtaining treatment in hospitals in the government controlled areas, sources said.