LTTE to release Mavilaru water after Norway pact

Colombo, Aug 6: The LTTE today said it will open the controversial sluice gate of the Mavilaru river this evening, after a visiting top Norwegian peace envoy assured their problems would be addressed within two or three days, the outfit's sources said.

The LTTE has conveyed its decision to open the disputed sluice gate, which was closed on July 20 and resulted in the Lankan government's launch of an unsuccessfull military operation. The decision was conveyed to visiting Norwegian peace envoy Jon Hanssen Bauer, who met the Tiger's political wing head S P Thamilselvan, in the rebel-held Kilinochchi today.

''Mr Thamilselvan agreed to open the sluice gate after Mr Bauer said Norway will resolve the humanitarian problems of the people in the LTTE-held Verugal Aru area within two or three days. A committe comprising LTTE members and people of the area would also be set to address this issue,'' LTTE's media co-ordinator Daya Master told UNI over the phone few minutes ago.

With regard to the ongoing military confrontations and the future of the ceasefire agreement, the LTTE has informed the Norwegian facilitators that any future military operations by the Lankan forces would be considered as ''the government's declaration of war.'' ''Mr Thamilselvan informed the Norwegian envoy at the meeting that any future military operations by the government forces, such as aerial bombing, military advancement and shelling, would be considered as the govenment's declaration of war with the LTTE. Our leadership is very clear on this position and it has been conveyed to Mr Bauer clearly,'' Mr Master said.

The LTTE's decision to open the sluice gate and the warning against future militay operations came as the head of the Nordic Truce Monitoring Mission visited the war-ravaged Muslim dominated Muttur area in the Eastern Trincomalee district, where the LTTE and Lankan forces fought a ''full-scale'' war earlier this week, leaving a large number of people, including civilians, being killed and over 17000 civilians fleeing their homes.

UNI