Colombo's suggestion for sea transport, impractical - LTTE

[TamilNet, Sunday, 09 April 2006, 12:37 GMT]
Liberation Tigers' Political Head Mr. S.P.Thamilchelvan, rejecting Colombo's offer that suggested the LTTE's eastern commanders to travel unarmed in Sri Lankan vessel from East to North, has informed the Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Major General Ulf Henricsson, Sunday, that Tiger Commanders were not prepared to travel in Sri Lankan naval vessels.

Possessing a powerful naval force and having used own vessels for travel by sea, the LTTE Commanders are prepared to travel only in their own vessels with SLMM officers on board, as was done in the past, the LTTE Political Head informed the Head of Mission in an urgent letter faxed from Kilinochchi on Sunday.

"We wish to inform you that if our request does not receive urgent positive response we will be forced to travel using our own resources," Mr. Thamilchelvan writes in his urgent letter to Major Gen. Ulf Henricsson. "We also like to inform you that if the Sri Lankan Navy attempts to intercept our vessel, it will be a serious CFA violation. Should such a situation arise, we wish to inform you that the Sri Lankan Navy too will face similar interceptions in the future."

To avoid such a scenario, the LTTE Poliitical Head urged the SLMM Head to speedily make necessary arrangement for the travel of the LTTE commanders, reiterating that it was absolutely necessary for LTTE leadership to discuss matters with its district commanders before the next round of Geneva talks.

"GoSL has put forward a totally impractical solution to our request. We do not believe that this attitude of GoSL, rejecting our proposals and the processes that were in place for the last four years and destroying all good will, will encourage the peace efforts," the letter said.

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