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Cease-fire monitors say sunken rebel ship violated international law
Colombo, June 28: European officials monitoring a cease-fire in Sri Lanka said today that a Tamil Tiger rebel ship sunk by the navy two weeks ago violated a UN convention by not flying an appropriate flag.
Colombo, June 28: European officials monitoring a cease-fire in Sri Lanka said today that a Tamil Tiger rebel ship sunk by the navy two weeks ago violated a UN convention
by not flying an appropriate flag.
"The Sri Lanka monitoring mission concludes that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam violated the UN convention on the law of the sea ... By not flying an appropriate flag and
official, visible identification," the monitors said in a
report.
Twelve rebel crew members are feared dead in the June 14 clash between the navy and the rebel ship, suspected of smuggling arms off Sri Lanka's east coast. The rebels insist the ship was a merchant vessel. The Tigers accused the navy of attacking the ship in international waters and of detaining the crew members after they jumped into the sea. The navy says the attack took place in Sri Lankan waters and denies any arrests.
The cease-fire monitors noted that no impartial observers had witnessed the clash, but concluded that the navy "most probably had a right to inspect the tanker because the tanker was without nationality." The report said the fate of the tanker's crew was unknown, and that no evidence had been found that the crew had been captured by the navy.
The monitors urged the two sides to reach an agreement on preventing future sea clashes, and to quickly inform the monitors of any looming incidents.
Bureau Report
Twelve rebel crew members are feared dead in the June 14 clash between the navy and the rebel ship, suspected of smuggling arms off Sri Lanka's east coast. The rebels insist the ship was a merchant vessel. The Tigers accused the navy of attacking the ship in international waters and of detaining the crew members after they jumped into the sea. The navy says the attack took place in Sri Lankan waters and denies any arrests.
The cease-fire monitors noted that no impartial observers had witnessed the clash, but concluded that the navy "most probably had a right to inspect the tanker because the tanker was without nationality." The report said the fate of the tanker's crew was unknown, and that no evidence had been found that the crew had been captured by the navy.
The monitors urged the two sides to reach an agreement on preventing future sea clashes, and to quickly inform the monitors of any looming incidents.
Bureau Report