03-31-2004, 05:56 PM
Sri Lanka PM in emergency talks with truce monitors
Wed Mar 31, 7:02 AM ET
COLOMBO (AFP) - Sri Lanka's prime minister held emergency talks with Norwegian truce monitors amid fears of factional war between rival Tamil Tiger rebels, officials said.
Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe discussed the deteriorating security situation in the eastern district of Batticaloa where an election candidate and his relative were gunned Tuesday, officials said on Wednesday.
"The prime minister discussed the situation in Batticaloa and measures to ensure a free and fair election in the district," a spokesman for Wickremesinghe said.
He said the head of the Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Trond Furuhovde, his deputy and the Norwegian ambassador here, Hans Brattskar took part in the talks at Wickremesinghe's official residence.
Hundreds of additional troops had been poured to the Batticaloa district amid mounting tension after the killings.
Police have linked the killing to rivalry between two factions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), whose campaign for independence has cost 60,000 lives since 1972.
The LTTE's regional commander for Batticaloa and the neighbouring Ampara districts broke away from the main rebel group earlier this month fuelling fears of a showdown between the rival factions.
The renegade commander, V. Muralitharan, better known as Karuna, has asked for a separate truce with government forces, but has agreed to abide by the February 2002 accord between the Colombo government and the main Tiger movement.
நன்றி - யாகூ நியூஸ்
Wed Mar 31, 7:02 AM ET
COLOMBO (AFP) - Sri Lanka's prime minister held emergency talks with Norwegian truce monitors amid fears of factional war between rival Tamil Tiger rebels, officials said.
Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe discussed the deteriorating security situation in the eastern district of Batticaloa where an election candidate and his relative were gunned Tuesday, officials said on Wednesday.
"The prime minister discussed the situation in Batticaloa and measures to ensure a free and fair election in the district," a spokesman for Wickremesinghe said.
He said the head of the Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Trond Furuhovde, his deputy and the Norwegian ambassador here, Hans Brattskar took part in the talks at Wickremesinghe's official residence.
Hundreds of additional troops had been poured to the Batticaloa district amid mounting tension after the killings.
Police have linked the killing to rivalry between two factions of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), whose campaign for independence has cost 60,000 lives since 1972.
The LTTE's regional commander for Batticaloa and the neighbouring Ampara districts broke away from the main rebel group earlier this month fuelling fears of a showdown between the rival factions.
The renegade commander, V. Muralitharan, better known as Karuna, has asked for a separate truce with government forces, but has agreed to abide by the February 2002 accord between the Colombo government and the main Tiger movement.
நன்றி - யாகூ நியூஸ்
<span style='font-size:20pt;line-height:100%'>Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.</span>