SLMM Chief Henricsson gets “earful” from Thamilselvan
May 12th, 2006
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) chief Lt. Gen Ulf Henricsson was in for an unpleasant surprise when he met Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Political commissar Suppiah Paramu Thamilselvan on May 12th in Kilinochchi. The soft – spoken, eversmiling Thamilselvan was in an angry mood. The be- spectacled Selvan had a litany of complaints to relate about SLMM conduct.It was quite an earful for Henricsson.
The meeting itself was held on the invitation of the LTTE. It was called by the tigers to discuss recent events in the North – East with particular emphasis on a statement made by the SLMM. The LTTE took umbrage over the SLMM condemning the tigers for the attack on a naval convoy off Jaffna peninsula’s Vadamaratchy east coast.The main rankling point was the SLMM saying the LTTE had no rights at sea.
This was what the SLMM said ” The sea surrounding Sri Lanka is a Government Controlled Area. This has been ruled so by the Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in line with international law. Non-state actors cannot rule open sea waters or airspace. The LTTE has therefore no rights at sea “.
The LTTE stance as articulated by Thamilselvan on the statement was that the SLMM had exceeded its brief in this. The SLMM was not required or expected to issue statements on matters like this. The SLMM ’s primary duty was to monitor the ceasefire. There were enough agencies like those of the UN and other human rights organizations to issue statements like this. The LTTE did not want the SLMM to do this.
After launching his tirade against the SLMM Thamilselvan also went on to outline other grievances and arguments. He contested the SLMM position by saying that the LTTE had acquired belligerent rights through years of combatting the Sri Lankan army and establishing control over specific territory for more than 15 years. As such the LTTE had de – facto rights over lands under its control, the seas adjacent to those lands and the airspace above.
The ceasefire had been formulated on that basis. The rights of the LTTE were accepted in that. The ceasefire was between two eqal parties. There was no differentiation between state and non – state actors or Government and Non – Governmental entities. Both the GOSL and LTTE were accepted and acknowledged as parties to the ceasefire. Both were on par.
This equality was based on the balance of power theory. This balance was the basis of the ceasefire. If one or the other side received additional weightage there would be imbalance. If the power balance shifted either way the ceasefire would be under threat. By undermining the LTTE as a “non – state actor” without equal rights the SLMM was undermining the LTTE and strengthening the GOSL in public perception. This was unacceptable to the LTTE. said Thamilselvan
Selvan pointed out that the SLMM was not there to minimise the LTTE role to that of a non – state actor. It was there only to help maintain the ceasefire between both parties. Both parties have to be treated on equal basis. The SLMM had erred gravely by not doing so. The SLMM statement had incurred the anger and resentment of not only the LTTE leadership but also of the Tamil people who were strongly supportive of the tigers said Thamilselvan.
He asked the SLMM chief to examine all previous references regarding the ceasefire by the facilitator Norway or his predecessors. At no stage had the LTTE been given lesser status to that of the GOSL. There was no comparison of rights entitled or not entitled to by a non – state actor. It was always a case of being even handed by referring to both sides as parties. Besides earlier SLMM heads had accepted the rights of the LTTE to exercise its naval wing in the sea. Never had the sea been declared off limits. To say so was to be impractical and unrealistic.
Thamilselvan then asked Henricsson point blank the reasons or basis on which the SLMM issued such a statement. It was ill – advised and unnecessary he said. The tiger political cmmissar asked the SLMM to provide an explanation for this stance. The SLMM chief responded diplomatically by saying that he would consult the facilitator Norway before providing an official explanation.
Thamilselvan said that the LTTE too had raised the issue with Oslo. Norwegian representatives would soon meet with the LTTE to discuss the matter. The LTTE would expect the SLMM explanation by that time he said.
The tiger political chief then said the SLMM was not perceived as being impartial in certain matters. The SLMM was travelling in Sri Lankan naval craft and providing “safe escort” but was not prepared to do so to the LTTE. If the SLMM could not travel on LTTE vessels then it should not travel on SL navy vessels too. By not maintaining equidistance the SLMM was adopting double standards Thamilselvan said.
He then accused the Sri Lankan government of preventing and restricting the movement of LTTE cadres and leaders. While the LTTE was being constricted the security forces were moving about without any problem. The LTTE would not allow this sutuation to prevail he said. If free movement was denied to the LTTE by the Govt then the tigers would deny the same to the GOSL. ” we wont let them have unfettered movement in the future if they continue this way” Thamilselvan said.
He then advised the SLMM not to travel aboard navy vessels. This was no threat but simply a warning. By travelling aboard naval craft without doing so with the LTTE the SLMM was being partial. The security forces were using the SLMM as human shields while attacking the LTTE. The tigers could have destroyed the “Pearl Cruise” Thamilselvan said. They did not do so because a SLMM monitor was on the ship. Such leniency would not be shown next time he said.
Thamilselvan also said that the GOSL had been bombing and shelling Tamil civilian areas with impunity. It was being described as limited strikes. If that position was accepted by the SLMM then the LTTE too would conduct “limited’ Strikes Thamilselvan said. If the GOSL could do it then the LTTE too can do it he said.
He also queried as to why the SLMM was so quick to issue statements against the LTTE while being slow to move against the GOSL. 160 Tamil civilians had been killed by security forces, paramilitaries and mobs since the Geneva talks. This was not being condemned forthrightly by the SLMM. Even after issuing a statement it had backtracked when the GOSL protested.
In Trincomalee innocent Tamil civilians were attacked in the full presence of the security forces. Nobody tried to stop it. The SLMM had refused to even come to the spot due to concern for their own safety. Such conduct has led to an erosion of confidence in the SLMM among Tamil people , Thamilselvan said.
The LTTE political commissar also asked the SLMM chief why the monitors could not stop or prevent the shelling and bombing of Tamil civilian areas. These go on for hours. This gives enough time for the SLMM to intervene and get it stopped. Instead the SLMM visits the affected areas days later and then issues a mild statement.
Thamilselvan also asked the SLMM chief to study the ceasefire agreement and see how it has been implemented. He asked the SLMM to compare how the CFA obligations had been discharged by the LTTE and how they had been discharged by the GOSL. This would show who was to blame. Thamilselvan said that the SLMM’s chief duty was to help implement the ceasefire. If the CFA was honoured fully then there would be no problem he said.
Instead of implementing the ceasefire or what was agreed to in Geneva there is no point in asking the LTTE to go for talks. The time for talking is over. What is necessary now is for action to follow up the talks. Thamilselvan said.
The tiger political chief also warned that patience was waning. If no concrete and positive action is taken the LTTE would have to review the situation and take meaningful decisions he warned.
After listening diligently to this earful the SLMM chief then assured the LTTE political commissar that he would get back to him with the SLMM response after consulting with Norwegian facilitators.
After returning to Colombo the SLMM chief observed to SLMM colleagues that he listened patiently to tHamilselvan despite having a contrary viewpoint.
Meanwhile Thamilselvan told the media in Kilinochchi that he talked tough to the SLMM in a manner that he had never done before and presented the LTTE perspective strongly.
Related:
- SLMM Chief on urgent trip to meet LTTE in Kilinochchi
- Indian help sought to escort ‘Pearl Cruiser’ safely to KKS
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Contact DBS Jeyaraj : djeyaraj2005@yahoo.com
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