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A9 dispute drags on
By Nilika de Silva and Faraza Farook

Though the LTTE is fighting for the right to run its bus transport service in the north, this overloaded coach bears testimony to the horrible conditions under which people are required to travel in the LTTE-controlled areas.

The issue over the complete reopening of the A9 road enabling passengers free travel between the north and the south is yet to be resolved and private bus operators have been told by the government to put off a proposed meeting with LTTE leaders. The National Transport Commission has received 140 applications from bus operators for route permits to operate from Colombo to Jaffna via the A9 road, but approval is still pending.

Lanka Private Bus Owners Association President Gemunu Wijeratne was scheduled to travel to Kilinochchi to meet LTTE representatives and discuss the launching of the private bus services but Minister Milinda Moragoda had informed them to postpone the meeting on a request made by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The request to postpone the proposed visit came after a bus was refused entry to the LTTE-controlled territory earlier this week.

The LTTE's refusal to let the bus enter Omanthai on Monday had been reported to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission by the Government. The mission's Chief Trond Furohovde ruled that the LTTE had violated the ceasefire agreement. The issue has been taken up with the LTTE, but the rebels had not responded until Friday evening, Mr. Furohovde told The Sunday Times.

The issue about the road opening was raised with LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran who said the matter was yet to be resolved. Civilians living within the LTTE-controlled area are currently forced to pay a tax to leave the place. Meanwhile, Transport Minister Tilak Marapana on Wednesday announced that the government was ready to issue route permits for LTTE buses to ply the Colombo-Jaffna road in place of a shuttle service to be operated between Omanthai and Muhamalai.

Mr. Marapana said the route permits to operate from Colombo to Jaffna were an alternative arrangement since the Government was unwilling to have the LTTE shuttle service between Omanthai and Muhamalai. But the LTTE, he said, would be allowed to operate a short service between Omanthai and Muhamalai for short distance commuters.

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