Recognize only security forces, 2 Tamil parties tell Norway

by a Special Correspondent from Oslo

(July 03, Oslo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Tamil parties PLOTE and EPRLF have urged special envoy Jon Hanssen Bauer that Norway should recognize the security forces as the only legitimate armed machinery in Sri Lanka.

A three-member delegation from the two parties has stressed that there should be no other armed groups in the island.

The two parties' heads of international affairs Thurairatnam (EPRLF) and Nesan (PLOTE) as well as its leader in Norway Rajan met Mr. Bauer in Oslo on July 01st.

Not only the Pillayan Group, the LTTE should also surrender arms if the Sri Lankan conflict is to be resolved, they have said.

The delegation strongly criticized the Norway for its role in the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, at whose request the EPRLF and the PLOTE had disarmed, saying that the only outcome had been the murders of their activists by the LTTE.

They have also said that all Tamil parties should be engaged in negotiations.
- Sri Lanka Guardian