Norway worried about Lankan violence

Children read a book while sitting in a 'self-defence' bunker in the Tamil rebel-controlled village of Uthayanagar East, near Kilinochchi yesterday. Peacebroker Norway is "extremely concerned" about the high level of violence in Sri Lanka, Oslo's ambassador Hans Brattskar said after meeting a top Tamil guerrilla leader. PHOTO: AFP

"We are extremely concerned and I think it's very important that international and diplomatic attention continues to be on the high levels of violence," ambassador Hans Brattskar said.

Amid fears of a return to full-scale war, he held discussions with S. P. Thamilselvan, the head of the political wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), for over an hour in this rebel-held town, 330km north of Colombo.

Brattskar said he had also met with officials in Colombo and had travelled Monday to northern Jaffna peninsula where he held talks with military officials, non-governmental organisations and the families of victims.