Parties are not prepared to face full-scale war: SLMM head

Colombo, AUG 01 (UNI) The head of the Nordic truce monitoring mission, overseeing the fragile truce in Sri Lanka, described the ongoing fierce fighting between the Sri Lankan troops and the Tamil Tiger rebels in the restive Eastern province as "the high-scale of violence" and expressed optimism that it would not lead to "a full-scale war" as widely predicted.

"None of the parties are prepared to face a full-scale war that would be disastrous for both sides. I still don't believe that there will be a full-scale war," SLMM head, Ulf Henricsson told Sri Lanka's Foreign Correspondents' Association here in Colombo last evening.

He pointed out that despite the spiralling truce-related violations that had killed over 800 since December last year, both the government and the LTTE still stood committed to uphold the four-year long ceasefire agreement.

The retired Swedish Major General's comments have come at a time when the fresh fighting between the advancing government troops, back by the aerial bombardment from the Air Force fighter jets, and the LTTE fighting formations has left over 40 killed on both sides yesterday.

Heavy fighting erupted yesterday in the eastern province as the Army advances towards the rebel-held territory for the first time since the February 2002 ceasefire accord, in an effort to open the sluice gate of the Mavilaru irrigation tank, closed by the LTTE on July 20.

Accusing both government and the LTTE of playing with the humanitarian issue, Mr Henricsson, however, warned that the ongoing heavy bombardments could damage the small dam in Mavilaru.

"If water is the issue, this is the wrong way to go about it...

They could end up having more water than they need," the retired Swedish Major General said, adding that the SLMM was not making any ruling on the recent military air strikes as in some cases the monitors were not given access to bombed facilities.

Meanwhile, the government spokesman on defence affairs and Minister of Policy Planning, Keheliya Rambukwella told UNI over the phone last night that the troops were closing in on the disputed sluice gate of the tank and would reach the target anytime soon.

He, however, rejected speculation that the war has already started and reiterated the government commitment to uphold the truce with the LTTE.

"There is not a war to win over somebody. Our troops are on a humanitarian mission to secure the water facilities for the people, but were fiercely resisted by the LTTE by way of mortar attacks. We have to respond to it and neutralise it with the support of the air force," Minister Rambukwella said.

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