The Hindu : LTTE Blast: Peace process suffers a jolt

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 08, 2003

International

International

LTTE Blast: Peace process suffers a jolt

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO FEB. 7. The incident in which three members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) blasted themselves and a boat this morning after they were caught transporting weapons and ammunition, violating the ceasefire agreement, came hours before the fifth round of talks between Colombo and the Tigers began in Berlin. This creates an ominous setting for the ongoing negotiations, with all indications of further difficulties for the fragile peace process. However, facilitators Norway have said that the talks will continue as scheduled.

According to sources, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended the boat on Thursday night about four nautical miles south of the northern Delft islet. Subsequently, the Navy and the LTTE agreed to wait for the arrival of truce monitors from the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). The truce monitors — two Norwegians and a Tamil interpreter from Jaffna — who boarded the vessel early this morning, found one 23mm anti-aircraft gun, 1 AK-47 assault rifle with several hundred rounds of ammunition and three hand grenades. They escaped unhurt as they jumped overboard when the Tigers set fire to their boat. The boat reportedly exploded around 11 a.m.

The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, today directed the Navy commander to take into custody the boats and weapons, according to the Presidential secretariat. She said the LTTE cadres may be released "after obtaining from them a written agreement that they will not engage in such activities in the future".

Ms. Kumaratunga had discussed the issue with the Defence Minister on Thursday night and termed it a "very serious situation". The Navy was instructed to take into custody all weapons and military sensitive equipment together with the boats.

"It is clearly a violation of the ceasefire they are transporting guns and ammunition," the SLMM spokesman, Teitur Torkelsson, told The Hindu, adding, "this is the only time we found both ammunition and weapons being transported" by the LTTE since the ceasefire came into effect nearly a year ago.

According to reports, the Tigers set the boat on fire after which the truce monitors and the interpreter jumped from the vessel. Subsequently the LTTE cadres exploded themselves, taking the boat down with them.

"It is quite sad and useless to see the three people take their lives," Mr. Torkelsson said, adding, "its quite clear that this is something that can be expected in such a way. It would be naïve to think that nothing like this will happen".

Talks to continue

The SLMM, which has been monitoring the ceasefire violations during the last year, felt that "it is important that the leadership of the two sides keep talking". A statement from facilitators Norway said that the developments did not have an impact on the talks. Terming it a "tragic loss of three lives", the facilitators said the two sides had discussed this on Thursday and had agreed on a procedure to resolve the matter.

"Due to an apparent communication failure between the LTTE naval commander and the cadres on board one vessel, the crew members were not informed of the agreed procedure and the cadres set fire to the vessel and took their own lives,'' the facilitators said, adding that the two sides "will review existing procedures'' to avoid similar incidents in the future. "The ongoing session of peace talks will continue as scheduled," the Norwegians said.

Since last year's February 22 ceasefire agreement, there have been reports about the LTTE transporting weapons across the northern and eastern seas. Last July 14, two truce monitors were manhandled and detained by the LTTE against their will when they went to inspect a boat.

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