Mannar
Situation calamitous!
Thamilchelvan tells SLMM!
[TamilNet,
November 25, 2004 13:02 GMT] Head of Liberation Tigers Political Wing,
S.P Thamilchelvan, in an urgent message to Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring
Mission (SLMM) Maj. Gen (retd) Trond Furuhovde described the situation
in Mannar as "calamitous" that will lead to public unrest which is "totally
undesirable" during the period of ceasefire and martyrs' day celebrations.
Full text of the message follows:
Top Priority
25.11.2004
Maj. General Trond Furuhovde,
Head of SLMM
Dear General,
Sub: SLA and SL Police
rioting in Mannar
Appended below, please
find a summarized report based on information received from Mannar
and Vavuniya
relating to a serious situation.
Please treat this with
the urgency of curbing a calamitous situation which, we are afraid, would
lead to serious public unrest and rioting, creating a situation totally
undesirable, firstly under a ceasefire period, secondly and most importantly
a period of veneration commemorated by the Tamil people remembering their
Martyrs with piety and serenity.
Today 25 November when
Tamil youths were engaged in the preparation of the commemoration hall,
SLA and SL Police entered into the scene, shattered the structures and
the photographs of the Martyrs and brutally assaulted all those present
including LTTE members with bayonets, poles and pipes injuring several
of them. They fired warning shots in the air to disperse the people. Eight
civilians have been already admitted to hospital.
The memorial hall structure
has been completely destroyed and banners and flags burnt. Transport is
banned. Vehicles have been subject to attack and the military is not permitting
civilians to remove their bicycles and motor cycles halted near the bus-stand.
Movement of people is seriously hampered by the unruly attacks of the military.
A situation has arisen wherein shops have been closed and people’s movement
completely negated.
The Tamil people of Mannar
are at a loss to comprehend as to why Mannar is singled out for this type
of brutal treatment whereas the Martyrs’ Day commemoration is taking place
unfettered in other districts. It is opined that the SLA is working on
an agenda to disrupt the peaceful commemoration of this annual event and
provocate the civilians. It is reported from Mannar that the SLMM has not
yet intervened in this matter.
The latest information
that we get from Pesalai
is that the SL Navy has started attacking civilians. Around 1400 hours
the SLA positioned near the station junction has destroyed the shed in
front of the LTTE office wherein the photographs of Martyrs were arranged
to pay homage by parents and relatives.
A similar situation, it
is reported, is in the making in Vavuniya too where the SLA and the Police
are set to remove all the decorations and structures made by the people
and a tense situation may explode at any moment.
We have already communicated
this matter to H.E. the Norwegian Ambassador, expressing our fear that
this situation, if not arrested immediately, may tend to create a totally
undesirable confrontational position which all of us should endeavor to
arrest.
Please be assured that
we have put in place adequate instructions to our members in Mannar to
ensure that SLMM is allowed to function unhindered and unharmed by any
elements. Civilians too have been properly counseled to ensure the safety
and security of the SLMM personnel and this is a clear assurance by us
to allay the fears SLMM monitors may have in a situation of pandemonium.
Awaiting an immediate response,
We remain,
Yours sincerely,
S.P. Tamilselvan, Head
of the Political Wing.
Courtesy: Tamilnet.COM |