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Govt not happy over SLMM verdict on trawler tragedy
The Government has slammed Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Chief Tryggve Teleffsen, over his determination that "outside armed elements" were involved in the sinking of the Chinese trawler Fu Yuan Yu 225 in the high seas off Mullaitivu on March 20.

Peace Secretariat Chief Bernard Goonetilleke is learnt to have told him that the Government's view was that such determination tended to undermine public confidence in the SLMM, as evidenced from strong criticism in the national media.
That is not to say that the SLMM, Mr. Goonetilleke has pointed out, should have chosen to place the blame on one party, either the Government or the LTTE. In the absence of evidence to apportion blame on either party, the SLMM could have resorted to an open verdict, Mr. Goonetilleke is learnt to have told Maj. Gen. Tellefsen.

Mr. Goonetilleke confirmed to The Sunday Times that the matter came up for discussion during regular consultations with the SLMM but declined to give details. He said "current issues are taken up at these meetings" and the Chinese trawler incident was also a "current issue" taken up for discussion. He, however added: "This was not to express the dissatisfaction of the government. The government may have its own view."

SLMM spokesman Teitur Torkelsson confirmed that Mr. Goonetilleke had raised the issue about the monitoring missions statement undermining public confidence and the point on the monitors failing to return an open verdict in the event of not being able to find the party responsible for the incident. The sinking of the trawler Fu Yuan Yu 225 drew a strong protest from China, Sri Lanka's number one supplier of military hardware. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is due to pay an official visit to China next week.

Fifteen Chinese crew members and two Sri Lankans were feared killed in the incident. The bodies of eight were washed ashore and were later flown to Colombo and cremated here.

The Sunday Times learns that the trawler incident has become a knotty issue for the government after Beijing's demand that compensation be paid to the next of kin of those killed. Such a payment, government sources say would amount to the government accepting responsibility over the incident.

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