Seven Army personnel killed in Jaffna blast

by Ranil Wijayapala

The Government yesterday called upon the international community to exert maximum pressure on the LTTE after a LTTE claymore mine killed another seven Army personnel in Jaffna.

The attack came barely 48 hours after Sunday's attack, which too claimed an equal number of Army personnel.

One officer and six soldiers were killed when a claymore mine blew up their tractor in Kopay, Jaffna around 10 a.m. They were taking breakfast to soldiers on guard duty.

Five soldiers and the officer died on the spot while a soldier admitted to the Palaly hospital in a critical condition later succumbed to his injuries, sources added. All were from the Sri Lanka National Guard (SLNG).

Lieutenant T.R. Mutugalage, Corporal B.E. Samarasinghe, Corporal Ajith Kumara, Private K.M.P. Attanayake, Private K.G. Dayawansha, Private W.P.I.W. Wijetunga attached to the 10 SLNG and H.A.S. Udayasiri attached to 20 SLNG were killed in the blast, which also damaged a diplomatic vehicle of a Colombo based Embassy. "It is regrettable that in less than 48 hours the Government has been called upon once again to condemn in the strongest possible terms a claymore mine attack on Army personnel," a Government communique said.

It said the LTTE was engaged in a stealth war against the Security Forces using the cover of the Ceasefire Agreement. "It is clear to all that the LTTE which participated in peace talks with successive Governments for the past three and a half years has not transformed from its terrorist tendencies.

The LTTE strategy is to provoke a confrontation with the Security Forces. As a responsible Government we will act with restraint, but take all measures required to maintain law and order in the peninsula."

The Secretary to the Ministry of Defence in the last two days has met the Head of the SLMM and impressed upon him the serious nature of the situation and urged for measures from the SLMM in relation to LTTE adherence of ceasefire obligations, the communique added.

New Army Commander Lt.General Sarath Fonseka told reporters in Colombo soon after assuming duties that there is no prospect of war breaking out.

"We don't have eyewitness to prove that the LTTE is responsible for the unfortunate incidents which took place in Jaffna, but this type of dastardly act cannot take place in Jaffna without the knowledge of the LTTE," General Fonseka added.

"If the LTTE denies any involvement they could help us trace those responsible for these attacks," he added.

He stressed the necessity of establishing communication with the LTTE in Jaffna which had lapsed following the assassination of SP Charles Wijewardena if the current situation in Jaffna is to be arrested.

He added that they could not send ground level commanders of the Army to the scheduled meeting with the LTTE in the no-man's land in Muhamalai on Monday since the situation had to be first discussed with officials in Colombo and the SLMM.

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US concerned about Ceasefire Agreement violations

The United States has expressed concern over persistent violations of the Ceasefire Agreement, particularly over the past few weeks. The US Embassy in Colombo, said yesterday: "We condemn the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) attack in Jaffna on a Sri Lanka Army vehicle that caused the deaths of seven soldiers. Such violence is inconsistent with LTTE claims to be committed to the peace process.

We call on both the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to take immediate action to prevent violence and to uphold the terms of the Ceasefire Agreement."