Security

Thirukkovil incident: LTTE ignored deal after Ceasefire Agreement

THE LTTE has to face disastrous consequences at the hands of unidentified gunmen in government controlled areas, as they continuously ignored the requirement to inform Security Forces about their movements despite the Government insisting them to comply with this, the Defence Ministry said yesterday.

The Ministry pointed out that the three female cadres had to face such disastrous consequences in Thirukkovil as they too ignored that requirement.

Issuing a press release on the recent incident in Thirukkovil, the Defence Ministry pointed out that the LTTE has ignored the agreement reached after the Ceasefire Agreement, with regard to the LTTE cadres movement in Government controlled areas.

An agreement was reached after the Ceasefire Agreement that the LTTE would inform the Government for the Security Forces to provide suitable escorts and prevent any untoward incident when LTTE cadres move in Government controlled areas.

"The LTTE cadres have undertaken several moves into Government areas recently, disregarding the above agreement," the Defence Ministry release added.

The Ministry has warned the LTTE on several occasions. These warnings have been ignored with disastrous results being witnessed on a number of occasions. The most recent incident was the killings of Kaushalyan, former MP Chandra Nehru and four others on February 7, 2005.

"Even thereafter, the requirements to keep Security Forces informed of LTTE movements, was once again conveyed to the LTTE through the SLMM," the Defence Ministry pointed out.

The LTTE continued to ignore this even last week. After requesting for an escort for movement out of Batticaloa, Pulidevan travelled without the escort provided to him through an alternative route without informing the Security Forces.

"Once again the Ministry of Defence and the Secretariat of Coordinating the Peace Process insisted the SLMM that the requirement to inform Security Forces and obtain an escort must be conveyed to the LTTE and complied with," the release added.

"Yet, despite all warnings, the LTTE once again ignored the requirement of informing Security Forces when moving to Government controlled areas and regrettably suffered the consequences, at hands of an unidentified gunman, who shot and injured three LTTE female cadres in Thirukkovil.

The Government has flown all three cadres to Colombo for medical care on the instructions of the President, the release added.