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LTTE firm on removal of E.U. monitors

V. S. Sambandan

COLOMBO: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Wednesday remained insistent on removal of European Union (E.U.) nationals from the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), further pushing back the prospect of any early resumption of negotiations.

The Tigers also criticised the Government for "atrocities" by the Sri Lanka army and said it would be "forced to intensify defensive action against the undeclared war conducted by the Government."

The LTTE conveyed its position to the Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka,

Hans Brattskar, during a meeting in rebel-held Kilinochchi on Wednesday. The Nordic truce monitoring team, headed by a Swedish national, Ulf Henricsson, includes members from Sweden, Denmark and Finland. The E.U. last month listed the LTTE as a terrorist organisation.

"We have said that it is difficult to wait the long period asked by the Norway to find replacements for the SLMM monitors from E.U. countries," an LTTE release quoted its leader Tamilselvan as telling Mr. Brattskar. Blaming the E.U.'s decision to list the group as a terrorist organisation, the statement said, "the LTTE has warned prior to the E.U. decision that a ban by E.U. will disturb the neutrality of the SLMM."

On the current situation, Mr. Tamilselvan "described in detail the atrocities by the Sri Lankan security forces" and "firmly told" the Ambassador that "there is a limit to our patience and we will be forced to intensify our defensive actions against the undeclared war being conducted by the Government".

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