COLOMBO, March 10 (Xinhuanet) -- The Tamil Tiger rebels undertook a European tour Thursday aimed at seeking direct assistance for post-tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation, rebel sources said.

    A 12-member delegation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) headed by its political wing leader SP Thamilselvan departed the Colombo International Airport Thursday morning on a tour that would take them to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands,Germany, Italy, Ireland and Switzerland, officials said.

    The tour came amidst background facilitation by the Norwegian peace facilitators to make both the Sri Lankan government and the rebels agree on a joint mechanism for tsunami relief co-ordination.

    The Dec. 26 tsunami destructed Sri Lanka's almost entire coastal line with war torn north and east suffering equal damage as that of the majority Sinhala dominated south of the country.

    The LTTE accused the government of discriminating the areas controlled by them in sending relief supplies and extending livelihood support to the victims.

    The government has denied the accusations. The Tigers appeal toforeign governments for direct assistance to them had met lukewarmresponse from some governments like Japan saying that all assistance would only be channeled through the government of Sri Lanka.

    The post-Tsunami rebuilding effort and a new wave of violence surging through the eastern province has thwarted the Norwegian efforts to revive the stalled peace talks.  Enditem