SLA preparing for Jaffna offensive, Tigers warn SLMM

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 October 2006, 16:30 GMT]
Heavy deployment of Sri Lankan armed forces is reported in Thenmaradchi and Vadamaradchi East along the Northern Front Saturday, LTTE sources said. The Peace Secretariat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Saturday night, in an urgent communiqué to the Head of SLMM, informed Sri Lanka's military build-up and urged the monitors to take immediate steps to visit Muhamalai FDL and confirm Sri Lanka's preparations for the offensive. LTTE's Political Head told TamilNet that LTTE is concerned of SLMM's limited access to Muhamalai. Unhindered access is vital for a fair and neutral judgement on the SLA offensive that will likely lead to a full-scale war, Thamilchelvan said.

LTTE Political Head S. P. Thamilchelvan further said that the Tigers, since Co-Chairs call for direct talks and the cessation of hostilities, had ceased military operations.

"We want to ensure that we are not blamed for the out break of war as consequence to any Sri Lankan offensive," Mr. Thamilchelvan said.

"We have reliable military intelligence that suggests Sri Lanka military is in full preparation to launch offensive operations into our territory," he said.

Thamilchelvan further said that the Tigers had opened A9 route and urged repeatedly for the re-opening of the A9 supply route.

"We have provided necessary security gurantees to the truce monitors to access our Forward Defence Line in the Northern Front," he said.

Mr. Thamilchelvan on Friday sent an urgent letter to the Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer, urging the Norwegian facilitator to do everything possible to preserve the atmosphere of goodwill, he said.

Artillery attacks from Sri Lanka Army positions towards Palai and Pooneryn areas have been intensified and the Sri Lankan troops were engaged in final preparation for a big offensive, sources in Jaffna said.

The arsenal accumulated at SLA front lines indicate a Colombo war-plan based on a scorched-earth policy that will flatten civilian settlements between Elephant Pass and Muhamalai, and Pooneryn, LTTE sources said.

Heavy deployment of troops in the Forward Defence Line indicated that an offensive could be launched at any time.

The LTTE has informed the SLMM monitors that it would not be fair to blame Tigers for outbreak of war in the Northern Front.

Analysts fear a renewed battle in Northern Front would plunge Sri Lanka into full scale war.

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