SLMM head holds talks in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 10 July 2002, 18:30 GMT]
The Norwegian head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (retd) Major General Trond Furuhovde Wednesday evening arrived Trincomalee town by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopter with LTTE's political division official Mr. Pulithevan from Batticaloa. A conference was held later in the evening at the auditorium of the provincial ministry of education at Orrs' Hill, Trincomalee.

Local heads of armed forces and the Police participated in the discussion, which was attended by expatriate monitors of the SLMM in Trincomalee.

Several problems that have been cropped up in Trincomalee district regarding the smooth implementation of the Cease-fire Agreement signed by the government and the LTTE came in for serious discussion at the conference, sources said.

The recent arrest of five unarmed LTTE cadres by members of the army and the navy was highlighted during the discussion by the LTTE, the sources said.

The SLMM head is scheduled to visit Mutur Thursday to hold talks with the LTTE leaders at Sampoor.

Meanwhile the officials of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka held discussion with the local religious and community leaders at Mutur divisional secretariat Tuesday.

The HRC commissioner Ms Manouri Muttetuwagama inquired from the participants what measures should be taken to prevent further clashes between two communities in Mutur.

Local religious leaders of all faiths told HRC officials the urgent need to set up peace committees at village level with representatives from all communities to ensure harmony in the area.

Local leaders said a third force which is actively engaged in sabotaging the peace process was behind the recent troubles in Mutur.

HRC officials left Trincomalee Tuesday evening to Batticaloa district to inquire into the problems in Valaichenai.

An HRC official said the commission would submit a full report to the government about the recent troubles in the eastern province on their return to Colombo.

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