The Norwegian Envoy Jon Hanssen Bauer and the Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar met with Dr. Palitha Kohona the Secretary General of SCOPP at the Peace Secretariat tonight for a debriefing on their visit to Killinochi today. (December 8 th).
Dr. Kohona had asked Mr Hanssen Bauer to convey three urgent GOSL requests to the LTTE relating to the pressing humanitarian needs of the people of Jaffna and the IDPs in Vakarai. Mr. Bauer who had agreed that these matters were of immediate concern confirmed that he had conveyed these messages to the LTTE.
Mr. Bauer had the following responses from the LTTE:
- The LTTE had refused to consider the GOSL proposal to send a convoy of urgent relief supplies along the A9 and through the Muhamalai checkpoint to Jaffna .
[The GOSL had confirmed that it was ready with the trucks and supplies and needed only to discuss practical arrangements and safety guarantees. The GOSL had also conveyed the same proposal to the LTTE though the SLMM over two weeks ago. The LTTE has continued to refuse providing assurances of safety for supply and passenger ships plying the sea route to Jaffna and this has prevented the ICRC and the WFP from giving their assistance].
- The LTTE has refused to respond to the GOSL proposal to create a safe haven for IDPs in Vakarai.
[The GOSL had conveyed this proposal to the LTTE through the SLMM some weeks ago and had not received a positive response. The GOSL reiterated that it recognized the urgent need to move the IDPs away from military installations to a defined safe area. ]
- Mr Bauer reported that they had not touched on the GOSL proposal to the LTTE to allow the 4,000 private traders in the Jaffna peninsula to operate freely without intimidation as he had wanted to focus on the important issue of the urgent proposal to enable the convoy of relief supplies thought the A9.
[Currently the LTTE is preventing through intimidation these traders from plying their trade. The 450 plus co-operative stores and 16 military shops are inadequate to distribute supplies to the people.]
Dr Kohona stated that all three proposals were critical for the urgent humanitarian relief of the people of Jaffna and the IDPs in Vakarai. He expressed the disappointment of the GOSL to the refusal by the LTTE to both proposals. He reiterated that the primary concern of the GOSL was for the alleviation of the humanitarian problems of the people in these areas. He said it was distressing that the LTTE which claimed to represent the concerns of the people of Jaffna had acted in a manner totally contrary to this objective and was still striving for political and military gains.
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Violations Committed
by the GOSL - 351
