Confidence expressed by the Sri Lanka Government and the LTTE are poles apart, now. A meeting is scheduled for next Thursday in Oslo, to discuss LTTE’s objection to countries that are members of EU continuing to serve on the SLMM. LTTE raised its objection officially at the meeting with the Ambassador Brattskar in Killinochi last week.

LTTE's argument was that the monitors from Sweden, Denmark and Finland have lost their legitimacy to serve on the SLMM, with their impartiality compromised since their countries, as members of the EU, had imposed a ban on the LTTE.

Meanwhile the Government Peace Secretariat issued a statement on Friday that any effort by LTTE or Norway government to effect a change on the present composition of the SLMM would tantamount to violation of Status of Mission Agreement.

The Government Peace Secretariat has pointed out that the status and composition of SLMM can be changed only with the consent of Sri Lankan government and Norway Government that are signatories to Status of Mission Agreement and that the proposed change cannot be effected unilaterally by the LTTE.

It appears the government has declared “full confidence” on SLMM in its report and has expressed its appreciation of their functioning under trying circumstances. But the people cannot forget the fact that President Mahinda Rajapakse in his election manifesto committed himself to review the Ceasefire Agreement.

People also cannot forget the fact that government and its chauvinist allies denounced the SLMM on a number of occasions of not being impartial. Latest SLMM report was one such that roped in government's wrath. It is indeed an irony that the Sri Lankan Government has taken an 'About Turn!' on its view of the SLMM.

An English translation of the Editorial of Thinakkural, a Tamil National daily, based in Colombo 25 June 2006

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