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Fate of seven soldiers in the balance
As seven soldiers walked out to freedom during a prisoner swap in Omanthai yesterday, the fate of seven others taken captive near Trincomalee raised serious concerns for the government.

This was after it turned out that the seven soldiers were being detained in a tit-for-tat act against the police arrest of two Tiger guerrilla cadres. The two Tiger guerrillas, both armed, were arrested by the Kantalai Police two weeks ago for illicit felling of trees.

They had been produced before a magistrate and remanded. The seven soldiers were taken hostage by the LTTE when they were collecting sand for construction work in the Wilgamvehara area of the Trincomalee district.

The Sunday Times learns that Defence Secretary Austin Fernando telephoned LTTE political leaders in Kilinochchi to obtain their release. He is also learnt to have raised the issue when he met LTTE representatives during yesterday's prisoner swap in Omanthai, North of Vavuniya.

Even efforts by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to secure the release of the seven have failed so far. SLMM Spokesman Teitur Torkelsson told The Sunday Times that there had been no breakthrough in the attempt to secure the release of the seven soldiers, but efforts were being continued to get them released.

"The LTTE is insisting that two of its cadres be released in exchange for the seven soldiers," the spokesman said. Soon after the seven soldiers were captured, the Sri Lanka Army lodged a complaint with the SLMM.

The Army explained that this was not the first time troops had entered that area to collect sand and that the area was also visited by civilians. "We have been in touch with the LTTE since the complaint was made. Initially they told us that they would be released on the following day. But on Friday they informed us that they wanted two of their cadres released," he said.

"We have told them that we will not get involved in the judicial process. We cannot tell the judge to release them," the spokesman said. He said the LTTE was trying to draw a parallel between soldiers entering an area partly controlled by the LTTE and the two rebels being arrested in a government-controlled area.

However, he said the soldiers had entered a 'disputed area' while the LTTE cadres had come into an area clearly controlled by the government. The SLMM was expecting a communication from the LTTE's political headquarters in Kilinochchi about the soldiers late last night.

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