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Monitors want investigation
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Chief ,Trond Furuhovde is to request Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to set up a commission to investigate alleged harassment of LTTE cadres in the Jaffna islands on Thursday night.

Major General Trond who visited Kilinochchi on Friday afternoon to discuss the incident with LTTE political wing Leader S. Thamilchelvan, later held talks with government representatives also.

Monitoring Mission spokesperson Teitur Torkelsson told The Sunday Times that the Navy, Army and the Police would carry out separate investigations on the incident where two LTTE political wing representatives were harassed in the islands allegedly by navy personnel and a group of EPDP cadres.

They had attempted to swallow cyanide when they were to be arrested, but villagers there had prevented it."We will request the government to set up an independent Commission to investigate the incident. The Head of the Mission will make the request from the Prime Minister and hopefully it would be done immediately," Mr. Torkelsson said.

As a follow up, Major General Sarath Fonseka, DIG Kirthi Gajanayake and Rear Admiral S. Wijewickrema met four LTTE representatives in Jaffna yesterday. After the two hour meeting the monitoring mission's deputy head Jorgen Backlaund told a news conference the Government representatives had admitted that such an incident occured.

"The security forces have decided to check LTTE cadres only at the main check point Allaipitti when entering the islands. The cadres will not be checked within the islands. It was also decided that a direct communication be set up between the LTTE and the security forces," Mr. Backlaund said.

Meanwhile in another incident a group of unidentified persons believed to be members of an auxiliary force are reported to have destroyed the Mutur political office of the LTTE on Friday. It is alleged that the gang which arrived at the Alaiyadday junction in the Muttur town had forcibly entered the building and damaged furniture and other items in the office.

Reports from Trincomalee stated that the LTTE Trincomalee district office had informed the Monitoring Mission. However, Mr. Torkelsson said that they had not received any complaint so far.

However the SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem had taken up the issue with defence authorities yesterday. Mr. Hakeem in a statement said that he condemned what he saw as sinister elements which were attempting to disturb the Muslim-Tamil amity which had been agreed upon by the LTTE and SLMC leadership.

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