Government Peace Secretariat Secretary General Rajiva Wijeysinghe yesterday said the United Nations and other NGOs had to compromise for their own survival while functioning in LTTE controlled areas.

Addressing an event at the Secretariat for Co-ordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP), Prof. Wijeysinghe said the UN and other NGOs working in the areas were compelled to turn a blind eye on issues like conscription.

He made the remarks when queried by the Daily Mirror on whether or how the Secretariat would be facilitating media access to the areas which have now been brought under the control of the government.

He said the LTTE had a history of using propaganda tactics and using independent organizations for their own causes.

He cited the example of the UN and other NGOs, and added they had to be wary of being instruments of LTTE propaganda. “With this possibility, and considering the safety of the journalists themselves, the Government is acting cautiously in letting journalists into the conflict areas” he said, and added that the Ministry of Defence will start a systematic process of allowing journalists into the areas, as opposed to the guided-tour form of visits that are allowed. “Even I got a guided tour kind of visit to the areas when I went there”, he said.

Prof. Wijesinghe said the latest wave of LTTE propaganda on civilian deaths in the safe zone as being caused by the Sri Lankan Forces, are also being dismissed by the UN.

He said the UN themselves had realized that the shelling in the safe zone is caused by the LTTE.

Yesterday’s event was held to launch the quarterly newsletter of the Secretariat.