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AI calls for international monitoring committee

By Frances Bulathsinghala

Visiting Amnesty International representatives who have spent over a week in the country evaluating the alleged human rights violations of the LTTE in the North and East on Friday called for an international monitoring committee to look into the matter.

Ingrid Massage, Head of Amnesty for the South Asia region told the 'Daily News' they had informed both the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE about this need.

"We have told the LTTE Political wing leader Thamilchelvam about this urgent requirement and have received a good response from the LTTE leaders. The response from the Government too has been very good. We feel that this proposal should be incorporated into the peace talk to be held between the LTTE and the Government in August", Ms. Massage said.

The visiting Amnesty officials as an immediate measure had suggested that the Norwegian ceasefire monitoring team, monitoring the ceasefire here should focus on the human rights element until a separate international human rights monitoring committee is set up.

Derek Evans of the visiting Amnesty delegation told journalists in Colombo last Saturday said that the LTTE members had informed Amnesty that they would not want a monitoring team focusing on human rights to be monopolised by foreigners but would want Tamil and other local representation as well.

Asked whether Amnesty was satisfied with their investigations into the main charge of human rights violations levelled against the LTTE - the recruitment of children for military training - the AI representatives said they had received a categorical 'no' regarding the issue by the LTTE Political Wing leader. 

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