The LTTE wants security forces and police to relax security measures in the Ampara-Batticaloa region. The request was made at Vavunativu divisional secretariat where the security forces and LTTE delegations met under the supervision of the Scandinavian truce monitors to discuss a range of issues relating to the implementation of the Cease-Fire Agreement (CFA) in the region.
Ironically area leader Thambirajah Ramesh and his deputy Ram missed Tuesday’s meeting, authoritative security sources said. The LTTE delegation was led by Ramanan, the sources said. Their absence fuelled speculation that they had been sidelined by the group’s Kilinochchi leadership. The sources said the LTTE delegation did not respond to queries on the missing leaders and also the ongoing confrontations between them and Karuna loyalists in areas under LTTE control.
The government delegation led by Brigadier Vajira Wijegoonewardene, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) army’s 23 division included SSP Mahesh Samaradivakara, in charge of the Batticaloa police division and SP Upul Seneviratne of the STF.
The sources said the LTTE complained about what they described as heavy handed security checks at the Mankerni entry point. The government delegation pointed out that they implemented a special security programme in the region on repeated requests by the LTTE. Citing the presence of Karuna loyalists in the government-held areas, the group’s Kilinochchi leadership demanded stepped up security. The sources said these measures had also affected their own cadres mobility in the region, the sources said.
The government delegation has also raised the recent incident at Kadjuwatte where LTTE cadres fired in the air near an army sentry point, the abduction of a group of Muslims and the arrest of two armed LTTE cadres in the Valaichchnai area. (SF)
