LTTE duplicity on A-9

Attacks on Muhamalai continue:

Manjula Fernando and Uditha Kumarasinghe

COLOMBO: Citing the continuing LTTE attacks on the Muhamalai entry point which delays the re-opening of the main supply route to Jaffna, the Government yesterday accused the LTTE of duplicity over the A9 issue.

"The LTTE has attacked the Muhamalai point yesterday and even today. How can we re-open the road in this situation," hosting the weekly Cabinet press briefing yesterday Cabinet Spokesman Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa questioned. He said while demanding the reopening of the road, the LTTE has intensified attacks and is blocking all prospects of a reopening. It is trying to portray a different picture of the Government to the world.

Despite the Government's assurance by the Chief Negotiator that they were prepared to reopen the A9 route if the security situation improves, the LTTE artillery and shell attacks on the forward Defence Line at Muhamalai has been continuing in the past couple of days, Yapa said.

The Minister said the government has not washed their hands of the responsibility of supplying essential food items nor it will allow a breach of human rights and civilian security in those parts.

"We have now opened the supply service to the private sector to allow shipments directly from India to Jaffna," he said, adding that nevertheless they have not still seen a good response to this call, possibly due to the risk factor for having not received any security assurance from the LTTE.

In his latest report, the Government Agent in Jaffna has informed that there were enough stocks of essential items except for a scarcity of spices.

Responding to media queries of long queues opposite shops, the Minister said the traders could have created a scarcity to exploit the situation for their own gain.