Peace monitors warn of war in Sri Lanka

A navy sailor keeps watch outside the main morgue where the bodies of nine sailors killed in a mine attack on Thursday were brought in the capital Colombo yesterday. The government blamed the rebel Tamil Tigers for the latest mine attack that killed 10 sailors and wounded 12, marking an upsurge in violence despite a truce. PHOTO: AFP

Military officials said the bus in eastern Trincomalee avoided the full impact of the blast while two more "surface-mounted" mines were found in the district a day after a similar bomb killed 10 sailors.

The attack at Thambalagamuwa came as the Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) questioned denials from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that they were behind the bombings.

But the mission also faulted Colombo for not acting against paramilitary units who target mainstream LTTE cadres.

The blast Thursday in the northern district of Vavuniya raised to 76 the number of security personnel killed since last month. Nearly another 50 people have been killed in violence in the island's troubled north-east regions.

"Various actors in the international community have blamed the LTTE for attacking government troops but the LTTE has continuously denied any involvement," the SLMM said in a statement.

"The LTTE claims that 'the People' are behind the attacks on the military," it said. "SLMM finds this explanation unacceptable. It is safe to say that LTTE involvement cannot be ruled out..."

The monitors said they found the LTTE's "indifference to these attacks worrying."

The SLMM urged immediate action to stop the slide into full-scale fightingwhich halted in February 2002 following a Norwegian-brokered truce.

"Killings and serious attacks continue and the situation is getting worse," the SLMM said. "It is our assessment that if the parties don't react immediately, they risk going back to war."

The situation was also fuelled by "alternative armed elements" which operated freely in the island's embattled eastern region.

"These forces have destabilised the ceasefire and are one of the major reasons for increased tension between the parties," the SLMM said.

"We therefore urge the government of Sri Lanka to face up to its responsibility to disarm these other armed groups so that the rule of law can be reinstated in the affected areas."

The monitors said the two sides needed to come up with firm confidence-building measures with the "truthful aim of reaching a peaceful solution."

"Actions speak louder than words, and we feel that we need to see more commitment from the two parties if war is not to break out in Sri Lanka."