International ceasefire monitors are insisting that there are indeed ‘armed elements’ operating in government-controlled areas in the volatile Eastern Province although there is no proof these armed groups had the backing of the military.
The announcement by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) follows an announcement earlier by Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry stating that a joint search operation conducted by the Police and Army in the Welikanda area last week failed to substantiate claims that ‘paramilitaries’ were in operation or had even existed in the area.
However the SLMM insisted it has proof armed elements were operating within government-controlled areas in the Eastern Province and had even confronted them on at least one occasion.
The ceasefire monitors however said there was no proof to say these groups were operating with the assistance of the military and added that only the terminology used to describe them differed with the LTTE alleging they are paramilitaries and the SLMM referring to them as an ‘armed element.’
Speaking to the Daily Mirror SLMM spokeswoman Ms. Helen Olasfdottir said the word ‘paramilitary’ only applied to an armed group operating with the assistance of the military while an ‘armed element’ is a group operating independently.
“We never said there was proof of paramilitaries operating as that would implicate the military as assisting an armed group. We said there are armed elements operating in the East. That means we are saying there is proof an armed group is operating in the East but we don’t have proof to say the group is operating with the assistance of the military,” she said.
The LTTE has however often repeated that armed groups operating in the East have the direct backing of the military, a charge denied by the Army.
The Defence Ministry said in its release that “the search and clear operation covering Karapola, Mutugala, Wadumunai and Thiruchchena villages in south-west, north-west and south-east of Welikanda in the Eastern Province under government control confirmed once again that no infiltrators or any other alleged paramilitaries have sought entry into those areas either for settlement or otherwise.”
The search operation follows the abduction of employees attached to the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) in Welikanda with the relief agency and the LTTE claiming that ‘paramilitaries’ were responsible for the abduction.
The announcement by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) follows an announcement earlier by Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry stating that a joint search operation conducted by the Police and Army in the Welikanda area last week failed to substantiate claims that ‘paramilitaries’ were in operation or had even existed in the area.
However the SLMM insisted it has proof armed elements were operating within government-controlled areas in the Eastern Province and had even confronted them on at least one occasion.
The ceasefire monitors however said there was no proof to say these groups were operating with the assistance of the military and added that only the terminology used to describe them differed with the LTTE alleging they are paramilitaries and the SLMM referring to them as an ‘armed element.’
Speaking to the Daily Mirror SLMM spokeswoman Ms. Helen Olasfdottir said the word ‘paramilitary’ only applied to an armed group operating with the assistance of the military while an ‘armed element’ is a group operating independently.
“We never said there was proof of paramilitaries operating as that would implicate the military as assisting an armed group. We said there are armed elements operating in the East. That means we are saying there is proof an armed group is operating in the East but we don’t have proof to say the group is operating with the assistance of the military,” she said.
The LTTE has however often repeated that armed groups operating in the East have the direct backing of the military, a charge denied by the Army.
The Defence Ministry said in its release that “the search and clear operation covering Karapola, Mutugala, Wadumunai and Thiruchchena villages in south-west, north-west and south-east of Welikanda in the Eastern Province under government control confirmed once again that no infiltrators or any other alleged paramilitaries have sought entry into those areas either for settlement or otherwise.”
The search operation follows the abduction of employees attached to the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) in Welikanda with the relief agency and the LTTE claiming that ‘paramilitaries’ were responsible for the abduction.
