LTTE for removal of Denmark, Finland, Sweden members from SLMM

Colombo, June 21 (UNI) The LTTE today urged the Norwegian facilitators to remove the members of Denmark, Finland and Sweden from the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), questioning their neutrality following the European Union (EU) ban on the rebel outfit last month.

According to the LTTE's peace secretariat website, LTTE's political wing head, S P Thamilselvan made the request during a meeting with Norwegian Ambassador for Sri Lanka, Hans Brattskar in the rebel-held Kilinochchi today.

''Mr Thamilselvan explained to the Norwegian ambassador the reasons behind the LTTE position for requesting the EU monitors in the SLMM to be replaced. He said the LTTE has warned prior to the EU decision that a ban by EU will disturb the neutrality of the SLMM,'' the website said.

The SLMM currently consists of 57 members from the five Nordic countries, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland and according to the CFA, the government and LTTE must be in agreement through a mutually accepted process before any amendments to the CFA can be made.

So far no amendments have been made to the CFA.

Of the 57, 37 members, including the head of mission, are from the three members of the European Union and Mr Thamilselvan has told the Norwegian facilitators that it was difficult to wait for a long period to find replacements for the SLMM monitors from EU countries.

Mr Thamilselvan, who led a five-member delegation to Oslo early this month but returned without meeting the Sri Lankan government delegation said,'' it is unfortunate that EU has believed the propaganda of the government of Sri Lanka.'' He also requested the Norwegian ambassador to explain the LTTE position to the three EU countries in the SLMM and to convey LTTE's gratitude for the services they have given to the SLMM.

Claiming that it was a regular meeting, Mr Thamilselvan, however, said that it was important because it comes immediately after the Oslo meeting and in the background of the intensified killing, disappearances, aerial bombing and shelling by the Sri Lankan army.

''We have described in detail the atrocities by the Sri Lankan army and firmly told the ambassador that there was limit to our patience and we will be forced to intensify our defensive actions against the undeclared war,'' Mr Thamilselvan was quoted as saying.

UNI XC SK PM1806