The need of the hour is not the establishment of an internationally backed joint mechanism for tsunami relief and reconstruction in LTTE held areas in the North and East but prevention of LTTE’s atrocities, the Patriotic National Movement said yesterday.

Condemning a statement made by Norwegian Ambassador in Sri Lanka Hants Brattskar insisting the need for the establishment of a joint mechanism between the Government and the LTTE to distribute relief in areas coming under LTTE control, the PNM emphasized that the Government alone is capable of providing relief.

The PNM accused Norway of assisting the LTTE to achieve its target of dividing the country. "Norway in the name of bringing peace led the division of Sudan on religious lines. They want a repetition in Sri Lanka and to divide the country on communal lines," Co-Chairman of the PNM, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera said.

"The joint mechanism is nothing but the very basic foundation of the ISGA that the LTTE is demanding,"he said.

The PNM has condemned Norwegian Ambassador meeting with LTTE and issuing statements from the terrorist held Wanni jungle and demands that the masses must line up against international forces including Norway’s assistance to the LTTE to achieve its separatist aim. People should line up to exhort the government not to allow "the international agents of separatism" to meet LTTE which has been proscribed in many countries as a terrorist outfit, he said.

"There is no need for the establishment of a joint mechanism to take forward the reconstruction and rehabilitation of tsunami-destroyed Tamil coastal areas in the Northern and Eastern provinces since the Government which is backed by many other international forces including India, China and Japan has mechanism to rebuild the country."

The PNM said that giving financial and administrative powers to an armed terrorist group, would not accord with the constitution of the country.

The Government is distributing relief through the local government authorities and could do the same in the two districts held by LTTE terrorists. The Government could manage the relief distribution if the LTTE does not hinder its officials, the PNM said.