Colombo, July 16: Scandinavian truce monitors today accused Tamil Tiger rebels of failing to abide by their rulings and denying access to them to carry out independent investigations.
The allegations were made by the Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) as its chief Triggve Teleffsen held talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) naval chief today.
The talks were held in the northern rebel-held town of Kilinochchi, 330 km north of here. Teleffsen is in the area since Monday holding talks with key Tiger leaders.
Details of the talks were not immediately available. SLMM deputy chief of mission Hagrup Haukland said the LTTE was in breach of the ceasefire agreement by denying them access to certain areas as well as by building a new camp in a government-held area of the island's north-east.
"During the last two months we have been denied access by the LTTE to certain areas," Haukland said adding, "Freedom on movement is crucial for us to conduct our investigations."
He said the LTTE behaviour was unacceptable to them. Haukland said the Tigers must also dismantle a new camp established in the district of Trincomalee.
"Our stand is that the LTTE must dismantle the camp because as we have already ruled that they are violating the ceasefire," Haukland said.
Rebel local commanders and the military held talks arranged by the SLMM a week ago but the issue was not resolved, officials said.
The Army complained earlier this month that the Tigers were setting up a new base in the Trincomalee district in violation of the ceasefire.
The Norwegian-arranged truce between the government and the LTTE went into effect from February 23 last year, but there had been violations blamed on both sides. Bureau Report