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“Abduction of a disabled LTTE member in Jaffna by SriLankan forces – a serious violation”

In the backdrop of the abduction of a disabled LTTE member by GoSL forces in Jaffna, the Head of SLMM, Mr.Hagrup Haukland met with the LTTE’s Political Head Mr.S.P.Tamilselvan today 18 August 2005 at the Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi.

At the outset, Mr.Tamilselvan made specific mention of the incident in Jaffna where a disabled LTTE member who was on approved leave for medical treatment and staying with his parents, was abducted and not arrested as alleged by the Police. Jaffna District Political Head Mr.Ilamparithy who was also present in the meeting explained in detail the breach of trust in the context of an understanding reached between the SLA and the LTTE in the presence of SLMM just the day before and a clear violation of the provisions of the CFA that provides for LTTE members’ stay in GOSL areas on leave. Mr.Ilamparithy said that he made arrangements for the recording of statement by Police from an LTTE member whose name was provided to him as being suspected of a crime and insisted that the same procedure could have been adopted without threatening the disabled member and abducting him.

Mr.Tamilselvan reiterated that SLMM should intervene meaningfully and cause the release of this member, failure of which may necessitate LTTE to pull back all its members in the peninsula engaged in political work since the attitude of the SLA and Police suggest that the environment is too hostile and a threat to their security. “We are not prepared to accept the SLA version that this member was arrested; when there is a definite arrangement and modality in place to consult the SLMM and the District Political Head, the military and the police have acted arbitrarily, abducted the member, a right hand amputee and one who was being treated for another serious ailment and are trying to justify this as arrest for committing an offence” commented Mr.Tamilselvan.

Responding to SLMM’s concern over the unabated killings in the east and elsewhere, Mr.Tamilselvan suggested that it is in the hands of the SLA since the armed groups are being ‘kept’ by the military for clandestine activities and the political establishment in Colombo should cause the military to desist from this serious violation of the CFA clause relating to prohibition of armed groups.

Travel plan for LTTE members to cross GOSL areas, as recommended by the SLMM has been accepted with the provision that the SLMM would endeavour to include Batticaloa-Amparai sector too as early as possible. Head of SLMM made reference to a formal complaint made by theSriLankan government accusing LTTE of committing the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. Rejecting the allegation as totally unfounded, unsubstantiated and aimed at a malicious political agenda of discrediting the LTTE, Mr.Tamilselvan said that it is very unfortunate that those responsible for crime investigation too jump on to the political bandwagon and pass verdicts well before investigations proper commence, enabling the offenders to go scot-free.

18 August 2005

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