Colombo, March 29: Sri Lankan government has never used food and medicine as a "weapon of war" in their conflict against the LTTE, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said, insisting that his forces have been restrained in their advance so as to prevent civilian casualties.Contending that Sri Lanka was perhaps the only state that has "fed" an insurgent group, Rajapaksa said supplies of essential items have not been disrupted and humanitarian reasons were behind the slowing down of security forces' advance in the past weeks.
Contending that Sri Lanka was perhaps the only state that has "fed" an insurgent group, Rajapaksa said supplies of essential items have not been disrupted and humanitarian reasons were behind the slowing down of security forces' advance in the past weeks."The government has never used food and medicine as a weapon of war (against LTTE). Indeed Sri Lankan state is one, if not the only, nation that has fed an armed group who is trying to dismember it by violence," he told a gathering here.
He said no one could confirm the number of people killed or injured and it is impossible to determine a civilian from a combatant when the LTTE cadres, who are not in uniform, mingle with civilians and fire on Sri Lankan forces from their midst.
Rajapaksa claimed that the LTTE has also stepped up forced recruitment including that of children.
"The Sri Lankan Armed Forces have very clearly stated that their operations are conducted in such a manner so as to ensure that no civilians are killed or injured," he said.
"That is why their (security forces) advance over the past few weeks has been so slow (in Wanni)," he said.
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