SLA camp relocation in NE premature-Chandrika

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 May 2003, 17:14 GMT]
Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge through her media spokesman Wednesday said she is opposed to the relocation of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camps from the present sites without reaching agreements with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on core issues, sources in Colombo said.

"President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge is of the view that the international community has no right to urge the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to resume peace talks with the Government of Sri Lanka until the LTTE recognizes the human rights of others," said presidential spokesman Mr.Harim Peiris addressing a press conference Wednesday said.

Relocation of SLA camps in the northeast without making concrete headway in the peace process would certainly endanger the security of the country, Mr.Harim Peiris said.

President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge is of the view that the United National Front (UNF) government has failed to provide adequate security to the Tamil intelligence officers who supplied vital information to the SLA about the activities of the LTTE, Mr.Harim Peiris added.

Meanwhile the Sri Lanka defence ministry Secretary Mr.Austin Fernando said Wednesday that the committee appointed by the Prime Minister to inquire into the killings of military and police informants had concluded its investigation. The three-member committee would submit its report to the Prime Minister Thursday, Mr. Fernando added.

Mr.Austin Fernando is the head of the committee of inquiry appointed by the Prime Minister, sources in Colombo said.