The Hindu : Sri Lanka Navy, peace monitors responsible for Tigers' death: rebels

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 09, 2003

International

International

Sri Lanka Navy, peace monitors responsible for Tigers' death: rebels

By V. S. Sambandan

COLOMBO FEB. 08. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have blamed the Sri Lanka Navy and the Nordic peace monitors for Friday's suicide blast, in which three Sea Tigers blew themselves up after the trawler in which they were travelling was apprehended with weapons on board, off the northern Jaffna Peninsula. The Tigers criticised the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission for not handling the incident in a "fair and responsible manner,'' and charged the Navy with "provocative, belligerent conduct.''

A report in the website, TamilNet, quoted the rebels as saying that an LTTE fast boat "set out to help" one of their trawlers which "developed engine trouble" while it was engaged in fishing on Thursday. When a Sri Lanka Navy boat was seen, the "the Sea Tiger crew of the fast boat removed the light machinegun fixed to the boat to assume a non-combative posture, left the gun in the trawler and motored near the (Navy's) Dvora to explain the situation.'' The fast boat then

``proceeded to tow the trawler.''

The Navy boat "returned to the scene with SLMM members and insisted that they be allowed to examine the trawler'' after which the Sea Tigers "allowed only the SLMM members'' to inspect it. The monitors "declared that there were no arms or military equipment'' on board but the Navy "refused to allow the trawler to be towed.'' After assuring the LTTE's political division that "they will undertake to bring the trawler to the shore after discussing with the Sri Lanka naval authorities,'' the SLMM "requested the fast boat and its Sea Tiger crew to return to the shore.'' As the LTTE's fast boat was "not allowed near the trawler, the light machinegun was left in the trawler and the fast boat returned to its base.''

When the disabled trawler, which was "anchored in the same position'' was inspected by the SLMM on Friday morning, "the trawler crew explained the circumstances'' behind which the gun was on board. The SLMM accepted the explanation,'' the LTTE said adding that "even the Navy knew that the machinegun is the type that is mounted on our fast boats.''

As subsequent rains "appeared to have cut off the communication between the trawler and the ground,'' only the SLMM was "privy to what transpired.'' The truce monitors were ``fully aware that the trawler crew had threatened to kill themselves if they were forcibly taken,'' the Tigers said.

When the LTTE's fast boat "tried to return to the scene to tow the boat,'' the SLMM reassured the LTTE's political headquarters "that they would not allow the Navy to tow the trawler and that they would take the responsibility to safely bring our three cadres and the trawler back to the Sea Tigers. The LTTE was informed by the SLMM on Friday afternoon that the ``LTTE cadre crew of the trawler had set fire to the trawler and had killed themselves,'' the TamilNet said.

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