01-09-2005, 09:23 AM
Annan continues Sri Lanka visit amid row between Tigers, government
1 hour, 20 minutes ago South Asia - AFP
COLOMBO (AFP) - United Nations (news - web sites) chief Kofi Annan (news - web sites) continued a visit to tsunami-battered Sri Lanka that has fuelled tension between Tamil Tigers and the government after Colombo stymied his plans to visit a rebel stronghold.
<b>The Secretary General early Sunday met opposition leaders Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party and, separately, two members of the Tamil National Alliance, widely regarded as proxies of Tiger rebels, a UN official said. </b>
He was also to drop in on the control centre of disaster relief operations in Colombo before addressing a press conference, the official added.
Annan's visit was Sunday splashed across local newspapers, with reports saying it had widened the gap between the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) after Colombo prevented him from travelling to rebel territory.
<b>The Sunday Leader said President Chandrika Kumaratunga had personally objected to the UN chief visiting tsunami-hit regions in guerrilla-held territory, fearing the rebels would make political capital out of it.
[b]Annan had wanted to visit the northern peninsula after the rebels asked him to view the devastation there for himself, a UN source told AFP Sunday.
"The Secretary General was interested in visiting all the affected areas and regions but his itinerary was planned by the government and UN jointly. We stuck to that," the source said. "He did not visit any rebel held areas."
Asked if Annan had been blocked by government from going to rebel areas, the official said, [b][size=18]"I cannot comment on that but you can read between the lines."
In the immediate aftermath of the tsunami, which affected three-quarters of Sri Lanka's coastline and left more than 30,000 people dead, the rebels and government were seen cooperating in the massive rescue operations.
But in recent days tensions between the two sides has resurfaced, with the Tigers accusing the government, in its relief efforts, of neglecting Tamil-majority areas in favour of Sinhalese-dominated southern areas.
The rebels also claim government officials are hijacking supplies destined for those left homeless by the giant wall of water in rebel areas and objected to soldiers being placed in camps for the displaced.
The government denies the claims of relief supplies being diverted and says the soldiers have been sent to the camps to maintain discipline.
Tension was further spiked when the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) reported Saturday that elusive Tamil Tiger head Velupillai Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief Pottu Amman, are among the dead or missing after the tsunamis.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam lambasted the broadcaster, accusing it of "gossip mongering and malicious propaganda".
The Tigers staged a bitter and bloody struggle for an independent Tamil homeland for three decades before signing a truce with the government in February 2002.
But Norwegian-backed peace talks have been on hold since April 2003. Despite the deadlock in negotiations, both sides have pledged to respect the ceasefire.
During a stopover in the wave-ravaged eastern town of Hambantota on Sunday, Annan pledged support for the reconstruction of Sri Lanka's coastlines.
[b]"This is a beautiful country but I am sorry for the people who suffered this destruction. (The UN) will try to reconstruct it as much as possible," he said. </b>
Annan arrived in Colombo Friday as US Secretary of State Colin Powell was leaving the island after completing a day-long tour.
A slew of world figures have descended on Sri Lanka since a tsunami crisis summit held Thursday in Jakarta.
Annan was due to head later Sunday for the Maldives, where 82 were killed by the tsunami and 26 are still reported missing.
1 hour, 20 minutes ago South Asia - AFP
COLOMBO (AFP) - United Nations (news - web sites) chief Kofi Annan (news - web sites) continued a visit to tsunami-battered Sri Lanka that has fuelled tension between Tamil Tigers and the government after Colombo stymied his plans to visit a rebel stronghold.
<b>The Secretary General early Sunday met opposition leaders Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party and, separately, two members of the Tamil National Alliance, widely regarded as proxies of Tiger rebels, a UN official said. </b>
He was also to drop in on the control centre of disaster relief operations in Colombo before addressing a press conference, the official added.
Annan's visit was Sunday splashed across local newspapers, with reports saying it had widened the gap between the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) after Colombo prevented him from travelling to rebel territory.
<b>The Sunday Leader said President Chandrika Kumaratunga had personally objected to the UN chief visiting tsunami-hit regions in guerrilla-held territory, fearing the rebels would make political capital out of it.
[b]Annan had wanted to visit the northern peninsula after the rebels asked him to view the devastation there for himself, a UN source told AFP Sunday.
"The Secretary General was interested in visiting all the affected areas and regions but his itinerary was planned by the government and UN jointly. We stuck to that," the source said. "He did not visit any rebel held areas."
Asked if Annan had been blocked by government from going to rebel areas, the official said, [b][size=18]"I cannot comment on that but you can read between the lines."
In the immediate aftermath of the tsunami, which affected three-quarters of Sri Lanka's coastline and left more than 30,000 people dead, the rebels and government were seen cooperating in the massive rescue operations.
But in recent days tensions between the two sides has resurfaced, with the Tigers accusing the government, in its relief efforts, of neglecting Tamil-majority areas in favour of Sinhalese-dominated southern areas.
The rebels also claim government officials are hijacking supplies destined for those left homeless by the giant wall of water in rebel areas and objected to soldiers being placed in camps for the displaced.
The government denies the claims of relief supplies being diverted and says the soldiers have been sent to the camps to maintain discipline.
Tension was further spiked when the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) reported Saturday that elusive Tamil Tiger head Velupillai Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief Pottu Amman, are among the dead or missing after the tsunamis.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam lambasted the broadcaster, accusing it of "gossip mongering and malicious propaganda".
The Tigers staged a bitter and bloody struggle for an independent Tamil homeland for three decades before signing a truce with the government in February 2002.
But Norwegian-backed peace talks have been on hold since April 2003. Despite the deadlock in negotiations, both sides have pledged to respect the ceasefire.
During a stopover in the wave-ravaged eastern town of Hambantota on Sunday, Annan pledged support for the reconstruction of Sri Lanka's coastlines.
[b]"This is a beautiful country but I am sorry for the people who suffered this destruction. (The UN) will try to reconstruct it as much as possible," he said. </b>
Annan arrived in Colombo Friday as US Secretary of State Colin Powell was leaving the island after completing a day-long tour.
A slew of world figures have descended on Sri Lanka since a tsunami crisis summit held Thursday in Jakarta.
Annan was due to head later Sunday for the Maldives, where 82 were killed by the tsunami and 26 are still reported missing.