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by Ranil Wijayapala

The live firing exercise carried out by LTTE attack craft in the sea off Mullaitivu is a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement, Deputy Chief of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Hagrup Haukland told the Daily News yesterday.

Naval troops patrolling in the sea off Mullaitivu on Monday reported to the SLMM about three LTTE attack crafts roaming in the sea carrying out firing exercises.

Following the complaint made by Naval troops, truce monitors on board the Naval boats observed the live firing exercise carried out by the LTTE, Haukland added. "The monitors observed the live firing exercise at 11.10 am on Monday."

The three LTTE vessels went away around 2.30 pm after carrying out the live firing exercise.

Since the Sri Lanka Navy has full authority in safeguarding the territorial waters of the country, any live firing exercise carried out by the LTTE in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka is a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement, Haukland stressed.

The Sri Lanka Navy has reported several such live firing exercises carried out by the LTTE in the sea off Mullaitivu following the signing of the ceasefire agreement.

The most recent complaint came two days after three LTTE cadres blew up an LTTE boat in the sea off Delft island.

Navy Commander Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri told the media last week that Naval troops are facing difficulties in detecting suspicious LTTE boats as they sail along with fishing boats.

Meanwhile Police manning the Uyilankulam checkpoint in Mannar on Monday arrested an LTTE cadre who was abducting two teenaged boys, while they were trying to cross to uncleared areas, defence sources said yesterday.

Those two boys have been identified as Sivalingam Silva and Pakyanadan Balachandran from Poothottam Refugees Camp.

The truce monitors in Vavuniya who visited the place had obtained details from the boys and handed them over to Mannar Police.

The LTTE cadre was also arrested by the Mannar Police. They were to be produced before the Magistrate yesterday, sources added. 

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