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Manirasakulam camp
LTTE rejects monitors compromise
The LTTE has rejected outright a proposal by Scandinavian Chief monitor Tryggve Tellefessen to hand over the controversial Manirasakulam guerrilla camp near Trincomalee to the monitors.

The proposal was made when Gen. Tellefessen met LTTE's Trincomalee district leader Col. Pathuman and the Political leader Thilak in Sampur early this week.
The SLMM chief submitted an alternative proposal for the LTTE to hand over the camp to the monitors till the dispute is resolved. But the LTTE leaders had reportedly said the camp was set up before the ceasefire agreement and therefore did not come within the purview of the SLMM.

The compromise by the monitors was a fresh effort by them to end the deadlock over the camp. The developments came amidst reports that the LTTE was strengthening the Manirasakulam camp. However SLMM spokesperson Agnes Bragadottir said that the LTTE had allowed the monitors to visit the camp. She said the monitoring process would continue until the SLMM got an official reply from the LTTE. The spokesperson said that they were monitoring whether the LTTE was violating the cease-fire, but declined to elaborate on the current activities taking place at the camp.

She said that the SLMM stands by its previous ruling that the establishment of the camp was a cease-fire violation. The monitoring chief on Friday met Defence Secretary Austin Fernando to discuss security- related issues, but the camp issue had not figured during the discussions.

Government sources said they would now have to take up the issue when peace talks begin. But the resumption of the peace talks appeared to be getting further delayed as the LTTE is due to make a second foreign trip to either Ireland.
The LTTE delegation led by political Wing Leader, S.P.Thamilselvan on Friday ended consultations with legal and constitutional experts. After week-long talks in Paris the delegation is now in Switzerland to meet the Asia Desk of the Swiss government before returning to Sri Lanka on Thursday.

The delegation is likely to make a second a trip in the third week of September for fresh consultations with more foreign experts who are not linked with the LTTE. The event has been organised by Norway.

They will take two more weeks to submit their proposals to the government, thus running into October and consequently delaying the possible resumption of talks.
There is also a strong possibility that a former Attorney General, Siva Pasupathy would join the LTTE delegation for peace talks. He was involved in the Paris meeting.

Tamil groups challenge anti-terror law
LOS ANGELES, (AFP) - A coalition of legal groups and Tamil sympathisers in the United States is mounting a challenge to a law which makes it an offence to provide advice and assistance to groups deemed by the government as "terrorist."

The challenge, filed in federal court here is the latest attack on the Patriot Act, enacted following the September 11, 2001 attacks, which some rights groups say erodes civil liberties.

Secretary of State Colin Powell and Attorney General John Ashcroft are named as defendants in the lawsuit, filed as an extra submission to an existing case on August 5, and lodged as a separate complaint on Wednesday.

Six groups and two individuals party to the suit say they want to support the "lawful and humanitarian activities" of the LTTE of Sri Lanka and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) from Turkey.

Both organisations, fighting for a separate state, have been designated "terrorist" organisations by the State Department. The lead plaintiff in the case is the Los Angeles-based Humanitarian Law Project, which is joined by other groups including the World Tamil Coordinating Committee in New York and other Tamil American groups.

Lawyers from the Center for Constitutional Rights, which is arguing the case, are challenging a Patriot Act amendment to the Anti-terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996.

That law that makes it a crime to provide material support to any group designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation by the US Secretary of State. Transgressors can face a punishment of up to 10 years in prison. Plaintiffs say the legislation infringes the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which provides for freedom of religion and expression without government infringement.

Another group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran has in the past made similar unsuccessful filings against the US government and the terrorist organization list.

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