SLAF bombs Vanni as Special Envoy meets Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 October 2006, 11:07 GMT]
Three Kfir jet bombers of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) flew over Vanni and attacked Pooneryn as Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer met the Liberation Tigers Political Head S. P. Thamilchelvan in Kilinochchi to discuss the modalities for creating a conducive environment for talks, LTTE sources in Kilinochchi said. Mr. Thamilchelvan told media after the meeting that Colombo was continuously engaged in "offensive aggression," despite the assurances given to the Norwegian facilitators following the call by the Co-Chairs to cease all violence. Tigers were still extending support to unconditional talks as urged by the International Community, the LTTE political head told TamilNet.



"Colombo is engaged in a unilateral offensive warfare on the Tamil homeland, and our future course of action depends on actions of Sri Lanka Government," the LTTE Political Head said.

"There are no credible signs of improvement from the Sri Lankan side," he said.

"A terror campaign of extra-judicial killings, forced disappearances in Sri Lankan military controlled areas, blocking access to humanitarian agencies, and the continued refusal to re-open the A9 route refusing a population of 500 000 civilians in Jaffna access to humanitarian supplies," were all part of a "war of aggression," and did not display any commitment to the Ceasefire Agreement, he said.

Asked about the future course of action by the Tigers, the LTTE political head said it was entirely dependent on Colombo. "So far, we have been flexible for talks. But, Colombo seems to be locked in a military mindset," he added.

Three SLAF Kfir bombers flew over Vanni and attacked Pooneryn from 11:30 a.m. till 12:20 p.m.

The SLA fired Multi-Barrel rockets and artillery shells continued to destroy vacated houses during the nights, residents in Pallai said.