03-10-2004, 01:23 PM
Sri Lanka peace monitors halt patrols in areas held by breakaway rebel
Monitors of a ceasefire between Sri Lankan government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels have halted their patrols in areas held by a renegade rebel faction.
The Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission says it has stopped routine patrols in the east of the island where the renegade Tamil Tiger leader, V Muralitharan, better known as Karuna, holds sway.
However, a spokeswoman says they are keeping lines open to all LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) offices in all the districts of the northeast.
The AFP news agency says Karuna broke away from the LTTE last week over plans by its leadership to plunge Sri Lanka back into civil war.
Karuna has refused to recognise the monitoring mission, but has vowed to abide by the ceasefire arranged by Norway between the main Tiger group and the Colombo government in February 2002.
Requests from Karuna to the Sri Lankan government for a fresh truce accord with him have been turned down.
Government forces have been placed on alert in the eastern regions amid fears of factional war, but Karuna says he has no intention of sparking such a conflict.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are fighting for self-rule for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority.
The conflict has claimed more than 60,000 lives since 1972.
Thanx: RADIO AUSTRALIA NEWS
Monitors of a ceasefire between Sri Lankan government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels have halted their patrols in areas held by a renegade rebel faction.
The Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission says it has stopped routine patrols in the east of the island where the renegade Tamil Tiger leader, V Muralitharan, better known as Karuna, holds sway.
However, a spokeswoman says they are keeping lines open to all LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) offices in all the districts of the northeast.
The AFP news agency says Karuna broke away from the LTTE last week over plans by its leadership to plunge Sri Lanka back into civil war.
Karuna has refused to recognise the monitoring mission, but has vowed to abide by the ceasefire arranged by Norway between the main Tiger group and the Colombo government in February 2002.
Requests from Karuna to the Sri Lankan government for a fresh truce accord with him have been turned down.
Government forces have been placed on alert in the eastern regions amid fears of factional war, but Karuna says he has no intention of sparking such a conflict.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are fighting for self-rule for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority.
The conflict has claimed more than 60,000 lives since 1972.
Thanx: RADIO AUSTRALIA NEWS
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