Let Jaffna traders function without intimidation - Govt. to LTTE   
[Friday, December 08, 2006 - 9.00 GMT]

The Government has asked the LTTE to allow nearly 4,000 private traders in Jaffna to function without intimidation to improve the supply and distribution of food and other essentials in the peninsula. 

This is among three urgent formal requests from the Government to the LTTE which Dr. Palitha Kohona, Secretary General of the Peace Secretariat asked the Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssen Bauer and Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar to convey to the LTTE at discussions with it at Kilinochchi today (Dec. 08). The requests are with regard to the supply of essentials to the Jaffna peninsula and the condition of the IDPs at Vakarai. 

A Media Release from the Peace Secretariat said that when the Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssen Bauer and the Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar met with Dr. Palitha Kohona, Secretary General of SCOPP, at the Peace Secretariat yesterday for a discussion prior to their visit to Kilinochchi today, Dr. Kohona had conveyed three urgent formal requests to be conveyed
to the LTTE by Mr. Bauer.  

He requested that the LTTE which claimed to represent the concerns of the Tamil people, act in a manner that would reflect a genuine concern by responding urgently to the following: 

*        Allow approximately 4,000 private traders in the Jaffna peninsula to operate and sell what ever they wanted without intimidation. Currently the LTTE was preventing these traders from plying their trade. The 450 co-operative stores and 16 military shops were inadequate to distribute supplies to the people.  

*        An immediate response to the GOSL proposal to send a convoy of urgent relief supplies through the A9 route and the Muhamalai checkpoint to Jaffna. The GOSL was ready with the trucks and supplies and needed to have procedural arrangements and safety guarantees in place. The GOSL would be happy to discuss any issues the LTTE might have in relation to the proposal. The LTTE had not given a formal response to the SLMM which conveyed the GOSL proposal to them over two weeks ago. 

*        An immediate response to the GOSL proposal to create a safe haven for IDPs in Vakarai. The GOSL had conveyed this proposal to the LTTE through the SLMM some weeks ago, but had not got a positive response. The GOSL recognized the urgent need to move the IDPs away from military installations to a defined safe area.  

Mr. Bauer agreed that the above proposals were of immediate concern and confirmed he would carry these requests to the LTTE. Dr. Kohona further stated that the GOSL was ready for negotiations.

 

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Last Updated Date: December 08, 2006 -9.00 GMT