Truce monitors’ vehicle fleet up for sale

With the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission speedily winding up its operations to keep to the January 16 deadline for it to cease all its activities here, it has begun receiving offers from local buyers for its fleet of 48 vehicles, which are mainly all-terrain four wheel drives.

SLMM spokesperson Pia Hansson said yesterday the problem was that whoever wished to buy them would have to pay the heavy import tax as they had been imported tax-free for SLMM work. She said all security-related equipment such as helmets and flak jackets would be shipped out to ensure that there was no controversy, while they would sell items such as computers and furniture with unused stationery being donated to schools and charities.

Early this week, the SLMM closed its offices in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara and its 57 local employees were granted severance pay of six months. “We are also trying to find them alternate employment,” she said. Ms. Hansson said the 32 international monitors would leave Sri Lanka by Wednesday.

The Sunday Times learns several local employees of the SLMM have sought a passage to Norway, saying that their lives were in danger, but their request had been turned down. However, it has offered to issue them letters saying they had worked for the mission.

It is also learnt that the items the SLMM is unable to dispose by Wednesday would be handed over to the Norwegian embassy in Colombo.