The Defence Ministry has rejected a controversial SLMM proposal to resolve a growing dispute between the army and the LTTE over the shrinking Nagarkovil no man’s land.
The Scandinavian truce monitors have requested both parties to pull back their positions as the gap between their frontlines in certain places had narrowed to less than 40 metres.
"We’ll not agree with their proposal. We wouldn’t re-adjust our positions as we haven’t moved them. Our line was in place when the Cease-Fire Agreement became operative in February 2002," an authoritative military spokesman said.
"Wouldn’t it be ridiculous to ask both parties to pull back when only the LTTE encroached the no man’s land. But they did it in stages," he said.
The SLMM last evening said they were awaiting formal response by both parties.
The military has disputed the SLMM proposal as it favoured the LTTE.
Peace Secretariat Chief Jayantha Dhanapala recently visited Nagarkovil where he urged the officers and men to be patient and help the government to go ahead with the peace process. He also assured them that the government would stand with the security forces.
The military said the LTTE advanced about 30 metres and set up an observation post about five months after the CFA. Later they connected this post with their front-line. Despite a strong protest to the SLMM and a ruling favourable to the army, the LTTE held on to the new position.
The sources said the LTTE now advanced further into the no man’s zone and the distance between the frontlines, in some places, had narrowed to less than 40 meters.
... Tigers in no man’s land
Troops deployed at Nagarkovil on Monday morning observed about thirty armed LTTE cadres in no-man’s land, about 350 metres, ahead of the army’s frontline.
Military sources said four women cadres were among the group. "They used binoculars to check our positions."
A smaller armed group dressed in olive green had moved closer to army positions.
