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LTTE asserts claim on airspace, sea

V.S. Sambandan

Tigers' aviation facility comes under aerial attack

COLOMBO: The LTTE on Friday charged the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) with "partiality" and re-asserted its claim over the airspace and the sea waters over and adjacent to its areas under its control.

The assertion is against the backdrop of an aerial strike by the air force on a rebel "aviation facility" at Iranamadu in LTTE-controlled north and the SLMM's statement that the Tigers — a "non-state actor" — had no rights over the waters or airspace.

The LTTE's political wing leader S.P. Tamilselvan objected to the LTTE being referred to as a "non-state actor" and said it "did not enter into negotiations to be passed judgements based on classifications such as non-state actor."

The SLMM, he said, had "no mandate" to rule that the LTTE did not have rights over air space and sea. The February 2002 ceasefire agreement (CFA) was entered into with the Government when the LTTE had "a military with an army, naval force, and air wing and was running its civil administration."

On Thursday the SLMM said the LTTE had committed a "gross violation" of the CFA when it attacked a naval convoy off northern Sri Lanka. One fast attack craft was destroyed, but a troop carrier — ferrying security forces personnel on leave — was safe. No incidents were reported till Friday evening, as the Buddhist-majority island-nation commenced the annual Vesak festivities — the most important season in the Buddhist calendar.

Limited operation

In a significant announcement on Friday, the Government said the air force on Thursday conducted a "limited operation" on the Iranamadu aviation facility. "The operation was confined to an already identified illegal aviation facility under construction by the LTTE in Iranamadu. The Government on several occasions brought to the attention of the international community at the highest level the grave security threat posed by this illegal aviation facility not only to Sri Lanka but also to the region. This facility also violates national and international civil aviation regulations," the Government said.

After his meeting with the Head of the SLMM on Friday, Mr. Tamilselvan said the CFA was based on "balance of power" and that the SLMM was contradicting its own statement of April 2003.

The LTTE claimed that it was "exercising in the seas" adjacent to land under its control when navy vessels "attempted to interfere with its movements and attacked it" on Thursday. Calling it an "unprovoked attack," the LTTE said four of its cadres were killed and two others injured.

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