"Amendment to CFA is by consent of both parties"

Hagrup Haukland, head of the Nordic Monitoring Mission in Sri Lanka, speaking to the foreign Correspondents said that the last few months had been a very difficult period.

He said “we are here to carry out a job but we are not willing to die for it”

Truce monitors should have an environment free of hostilities in order to operate effectively said Haukland.

In Baticaloa vehicles of the monitors were attacked and in Trincomalee field operations had to be suspended as the situation was assessed unsafe by the truce monitors.

Haukland said that the authorities are aware who these armed gangs are but they are not eager to arrest them.

The chief truce monitor also warned sporadic attacks that threatened the truce could resume with even greater ferocity if Geneva talks failed.

Responding to a question Haukland said he is not sure if amendments to the ceasefire fire agreement at Geneva talks will be possible as both parties have to agree to amendments.