Sassanka Samarakkody, gulf-times.com,  Mon Jan  9 08:18:41 EST 2006
In response to numerous denials by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that it carried out any armed attacks on security personnel and civilians in the North-East, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) had called the group to identify those whom they describe as “people” responsible for the attacks.

SLMM spokesperson Helen Olafsdottir told journalists that the LTTE had told them that the people in Jaffna were behind these attacks.

“Since they are so sure that people had carried out these killings, we asked them to identify them to the mission,” said Olafsdottir.

She said the SLMM did not want to whitewash anyone.
According to the Army, the LTTE has killed 52 security personnel from last December upto now. They are in the habit of denying any ceasefire violations perpetrated by them.

Olafsdottir said the Mission had asked the LTTE whether they were responsible for these charges. They had denied responsibility, saying the people were behind these attacked. “We asked them: ‘If you are so certain it was the people, why can you not identify them,” she said. “Similarly we have asked the security forces to come out with concrete evidence to prove their allegations. The SLMM cannot act without firm evidence,” she said.
Referring to the peace talks she said, “I must say both the LTTE and the government had the opportunity to have ground talks, but they have been missed out by both the parties.”

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- The Academic

if there s no peace process in SL there is no worth of having SLMM in SL.becas this govt does not have clear policy towards peace process or ceasefire. their presence can jeopardise the SL international reputation during war time. becas things will go uncontroll during clashes.ltte can kill innocent civilian & put the blame on our army. tigers killed 7 school kids becas they r involved in studies while their child soldiers working as suicide killers & put the blame on navy. they can use it to justify their struggle.GOSL is now supporting tigers it seems.

this is a joke. SLMM did nothing for the opressed tamils in jaffna. they wanted to appease LTTE al the time. they were scared of LTTE.

Pathma Vigneshwaran wrote:

this is a joke. SLMM did nothing for the opressed tamils in jaffna. they wanted to appease LTTE al the time. they were scared of LTTE.

It is apparant that SLMM try to appease LTTE as well as GOSL. But do they have any real choice? Beside as long as the peace process stopped there is no way we can curtain the spiral of violence. If GOSL and LTTE take consideration about the country's future there should not be a problem to find a venue for talks! But is it the only problem here for peace talks???
It's so sad that this ethnic problem have been going on so long time that Sri Lanka missed many oppurturnities to become properous country. I hope the so called leaders both sides of Sri Lankan problem wolud start to find a final and viable solution for our ethnical problem before Sri Lanka become a basket case!!!

SLMM is there to monitor the cease fire agreement. There is a ceasefire agreement , because there were fighting between two parties. Two parties were killing each other as they are enemies. In such a case it is obvious even with the ceasefire agreement both try to achieved what they were tying to get through arms. Unfortunately government just did nothing but LTTE continue their work covered to the agreement.
All throughout the ceasefire, government did very little to pressure SLMM to rectify LTTE but LTTE always get use of SLMM to cover-up their boldly mess and to influence government officers.
With this what I can say is that SLMM just work for survival and nothing else.

In the first place, RW and his advisers should have at least some kind of brains to think twice having peace keepers in addition to SLMM to protect the civilian lives.  SLMM cannot simply escape from the responsibilities saying that thay cannot do anything other than monitoring.  Even you all and I could do a better job than SLMM in monitoring CFA.  If they act as monitors, they should have a control of the situation.  They sould have done a greater job by taking intertaional attention on punishing either party who disrupt CFA.  What kind of productive measure they have taken so far for violations of CFA - for example, more than 6000 times by the LTTE.  Are they spending thire holidays in NE and southern tropical beaches using tax payers money? Or these guys are here to do every possible thing to sustain the war.  Kadir, Pararajasingham, School principles etc.  were killed during this majic CFA, whay have the done? Did they force the GOSL to go for public inquires or even international inquiries? Unfolding events prove how their care about our blood.  I am dreaming to see a the day on which Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims identify the who the real enimies are.  When that day comes, we won't need those double standard peace makers (trouble makers should be the correct term) any more.


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agro

It is unfair to blame SLMM when LTTE is causing violations.

SLMM cannot be policemen as well as judges, to find and punish the violators. That is not there role.

If you are expecting them to behave like a 'Peace Keeping Force' then you should get UN help. Soldiers from another country will be here.
Remember IPKF? Do you want that?
 
Also why blame RW? I think he did the best under the circumstances at that time.
Do you think MR would have done any better? At least RW brought nearly four years of peace.
Now the horizon has darkened!

"It is unfair to blame SLMM when LTTE is causing violations.

SLMM cannot be policemen as well as judges, to find and punish the violators. That is not there role. "

Well said Ravibas. The SLMM consists of 60 personnel. I do not think that a large number of people who write on this forum seem to appreciate this. I think they have a vision of squadrons of armoured personnel carriers and blue helmets with SLMM painted on them. Monitor i.e. observe and report. This is their job and this is what they do.