Colombo: The Sri Lankan Government has lodged a complaint with the Norwegian truce monitors following reports that Tamil Tiger rebels were setting up new bunkers and strengthening their positions in the strategic port district of Trincoamlee.

Government spokesman and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera said they had reports of fresh Tiger bunkers coming up near the port of Trincomalee where the Navy has a fleet of gunboats and other patrol craft anchored.

Samaraweera said they lodged a formal complaint with the Norwegian-led team that is monitoring an Oslo-brokered truce that is in place since February 2002.

The Government lodged its complaint with the Scandinavian-run Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and was awaiting a ruling. The SLMM rules on trice violations, but has no powers to impose punitive action against offenders.

He said the build up of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) undermined efforts to politically end the island's drawn out ethnic conflict.

"If we can sit across the table most of these problems can be resolved," Samaraweera said.

Newspapers in Colombo had reported that the Tigers were strengthening their positions in the island's East.

During a similar military build up of the Tigers last year, the ruling party, then in Opposition, slammed the authorities for not taking action to dismantle Tiger positions.