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SLN’s excessive interference causes the cancellation of the sea transport

S.P. Tamilselvan, Head of the LTTe Political Wing wrote a letter regarding the cancelled sea transport for the LTTE commanders.

The full text of the lettet is as follows:

We write to bring to your immediate attention the events that have taken place today, 15 April 2006, at the Mullaitivu shores, as our commanders were readying for their sea journey. These events were in total contradiction to the agreement between SLMM and us as set out in our letter to you dated 13 April 2006.

We have repeatedly brought to your attention and to the attention of the Norwegian Ambassador and the Norwegian Special Envoy the following. That is the importance of a meeting of the central committee of our leadership. In order to hold such a meeting its members need to travel from the east to Kilinochchi.

You are also well aware that the GoSL dragged its feet for one month without giving favourable replies for the transport of our commanders. You are also aware that this attitude of the GoSL created a difficult situation for our leadership.

It is in this state of affairs that you came forward, to make immediate arrangements on your own, to transport our commanders without the involvement of the Sri Lankan Navy. You also agreed that our commanders will travel from shore in our own vessel up to the ferry arranged by the SLMM and then the commanders will travel in the vessel arranged by SLMM without any presence or interference of the Sri Lankan Navy. You also gave us your word that at the destination end a similar procedure will be followed.

Our commanders came to the Mullaitivu shore ready to take up the journey trusting your promises. When we arrived we were informed of two new rules. These are, 1) we cannot go up to the SLMM arranged ferry using our own vessel but a civilian boat must be arranged to go up to the SLMM arrangement ferry; 2) the SLMM arranged ferry must be treated as an LTTE vessel and therefore the Sri Lankan Navy must escort it.

We also noticed four Sri Lankan Navy vessels parked close to the ferry arranged by SLMM. LTTE members who had boarded the SLMM arranged ferry prior to the boarding of our commanders also noticed that the captain of the SLMM arranged ferry was taking instructions from the Sri Lankan Navy about every move that the ferry was taking. Sri Lankan Navy contacted the captain of the ferry arranged by SLMM more than 20 times during this time when the ferry was waiting for the commanders to come on board. As there was a slight delay in the arrival of our commanders the Sri Lankan Navy again hurried the ferry captain to move without the commanders.

This excessive interference by the Sri Lankan Navy in the sea transport of our commanders, in total contradiction to the prior agreement with you, have made us lose faith in the promises made by SLMM. It has also brought to the open the anti-peace-talks stance of the GoSL and the Sri Lankan military.

These have angered and disappointed our leadership and at the same time made it impossible for our leadership to meet and discuss issues prior to the Geneva talks.

The incidents at the Mullaitivu sea has clearly demonstrated the duplicitous position of the GoSL of showing on one hand that they are ready to come to the peace talks and on the other hand acting against the CFA agreement and taking all possible actions to stop the LTTE from attending the Geneva talks.

We strongly suspect that the latest act of GoSL is aimed at worsening the situation by rejecting the good will measures already in existence since the signing of the CFA and acting against the CFA.

We wish to emphasize that today’s incident has put into question our decision and subsequent efforts to go to Geneva and that the actions of the GoSL and Sri Lankan military is the reason for this unfortunate situation.

15 April 2006

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