During a routine inspection of the suspended Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) Mine Action Programme’s equipment and resources, it was discovered that eight vehicles had been forcibly removed from the Mine Action compound in Kilinochchi, the NPA said.

"The incident was immediately reported to the National Steering Committee for Mine Action under the Ministry of Building and Infrastructure Development and a formal complaint lodged with the LTTE, together with other INGOs working in the Vanni have called for the immediate return of its property and a cessation of all acts of intimidation targeting humanitarian staff and their assets," the NPA said.

It said it would like to ensure that the facts related to this incident were accurately reported. "The said vehicles that were forcibly removed from our premises were used for their stated purposes in supporting humanitarian demining activities for 5 years prior to the suspension of the Mine Action programme in January 2008 under the auspices of the National Steering Committee of Mine Action. NPA said is outraged at the theft of its property and is engaged in every effort to secure the return of the vehicles immediately.