The Ceylon News

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi, Jan 30: A day after Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave “48-hour deadline” to LTTE to give “safe zones” for Tamil civilians, Sri Lanka's High Commissioner in India, Romesh Jayasinghe, said that the ball was now in the court of the rebel group and they have to act.

Jayasinghe further said that his country would mull over India’s demand of extraditing Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Jayasinghe said that the Sri Lankan government has already given “48-hour deadline” to LTTE to allow free movement of the civilians trapped in the war-hit northern parts of the island nation amidst hope that the conditions of civilians will improve in days to come. However, the LTTE has not responded to the calls yet, the United Nations said.

LTTE not heeding to truce call: UN

Earlier in the day, the UN said that all hopes of a ceasefire with the LTTE have been dashed, as the rebel group is not answering any calls for a truce. The organisation further underlined that there are no 'safe zones' for Tamil civilians as announced by Rajapaksa on Thursday night.

In a telephonic conversation with the news channel, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Colombo, Gordon Weiss, said that the LTTE has not responded to the ceasefire pleas. Weiss said, “We are waiting for a response from the LTTE. For any passage for the Tamil population's safe evacuation, they will have to welcome the call from government. They have to respond.”

Meanwhile, James Elder, spokesman for UN children's agency UNICEF, told the channel that only children were being taken out from the war zone.

A UN convoy carrying hundreds of people wounded in shelling between Tamil Tiger rebels and the Sri Lankan military left the war zone on Thursday after being held back two days ago, Weiss said. "The fighting is only intensifying," he said, in an interview with UN Radio.

In the meantime, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay expressed serious concern over reports of deteriorating conditions of some 250,000 civilians trapped in war torn northern Sri Lanka, increasing civilian casualties, massive displacement and alleged human rights abuses.

"The perilous situation of civilians after many months of fighting, multiple displacements and heavy rains and flooding is extremely worrying," Pillay said.

"We are all seriously alarmed by the situation," she said, "as are many of the NGOs and other organisations operating in Sri Lanka."

An estimated 250,000 civilians are trapped in areas of northern Sri Lanka where fighting continues between government forces and the separatist LTTE.

Nearly 5,000 people have managed to cross the zones held by the group to government-controlled areas since late November, the UN said.

Pillay expressed concern at the highly restricted access to the Vanni region for aid agencies and impartial outside observers, including journalists and human rights monitors, noting that it "only adds to concerns that the situation may be even worse than we realise."

She also cited reports of forced recruitment, including of children, as well as the use of civilians as human shields by the LTTE. She condemned the fact that safe zones promised by the government have subsequently been subjected to bombardment leading to civilian casualties.

"People trying to flee the conflict areas are reported to have either been prevented from doing so, or to have been arbitrarily detained in special centres," she said.

"It seems there may have been very grave breaches of human rights by both sides in the conflict, and it is imperative that we find out more about what exactly has been going on."

The conflict had reached a "critical" stage, noted the High Commissioner. "While the government has made military gains on one hand, the rule of law has been undermined on the other."

"The killing of the prominent newspaper editor Lasantha Wickrematunge earlier this month was the latest blow to the free expression of dissent in Sri Lanka. The searing article he wrote prophesying his own murder is an extraordinary indictment of a system corrupted by more than two decades of bloody internal conflict," she noted.

She said there had not been any successful investigations or prosecutions of political killings, disappearances and other violations committed in recent years.

"It is the government's duty to provide safety to all Sri Lanka's citizens, whatever their ethnic origin or political views," Pillay said.

LTTE stepped up indiscriminate artillery barrage towards the heart of 'safety zone' since Thursday noon killing at least 44 civilians and causing injuries to 178, initial reports from Vanni said. The shelling has targeted Chuthanthirapuram 100-housing scheme, where at least 7 civilians were reported killed. 16 civilians were reportedly killed and scores wounded near St. Antony's Church in Chuthanthirapuram.

At least 7 civilians were killed at Iruddumadu, where the 'safety zone' begins.

The UN says it is seriously concerned for civilians in the region

Sri Lanka's president has promised safe passage for 250,000 civilians trapped by fighting in the north-east.

Mahinda Rajapaksa urged the Tamil Tiger rebels to ensure the free movement of civilians from the region, but the government has ruled out a ceasefire.

The rebels have not commented but in the past have insisted the people want to stay to be protected by them.

The UN says it is seriously concerned about civilians. Health officials and rights groups say hundreds have died.

Sri Lanka's defence secretary, Gotabaya Rajapakse, says the numbers are exaggerated and aid agencies are panicking.

Meanwhile, the UK has announced it is doubling its emergency humanitarian aid to try to protect civilians.

'Rights breaches'

President Rajapaksa said that the rebels were refusing to let the civilians leave.

"I urge the [Tamil Tigers], within the next 48 hours to allow free movement of civilians to ensure their safety and security. For all those civilians, I assure a safe passage to a secure environment," he said.

The BBC's Chris Morris in Colombo says there has been no response so far from the rebels and that communication with them is very difficult.

The European Union on Friday called for a halt to the conflict.

INSURGENCY TIMELINE 1976: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam form in the north-east 1987: India deploys peace-keepers to Tamil areas but they leave in 1990 2002: Government and rebels agree ceasefire 2006: Heavy fighting resumes 2009: Army takes main rebel bases of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu S Lanka army in ghost 'Tiger' town Rebel weaponry rendered useless Voices from Sri Lanka In pictures: Army advance

EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel said: "This is an escalating humanitarian catastrophe. We are extremely worried about the terrible situation facing people trapped in the fighting."

UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he was again calling for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire".

But the Sri Lankan government has ruled out a truce.
Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe told reporters on Friday: "We will continue with our military operations and we will continue to liberate areas which have not been liberated so far."

Our correspondent says that displaced civilians who do manage to leave the war zone are held in government-managed camps to which there is no media access.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has said she is extremely concerned about the well-being of people caught up in the fighting.

She said the situation could be worse than generally realised because of the restrictions to access to the war zone.

The army is facing monsoon conditions in its push into the jungle

Ms Pillay said there appeared to be "very grave breaches of human rights by both sides in the conflict and it is imperative that we find out more about what exactly has been going on".

On Friday, the Reporters without Borders group also appealed to President Rajapaksa to allow local and foreign journalists to report freely.

The Red Cross says the humanitarian situation in the north-east "remains precarious for thousands".

"Stocks have been depleted and sustainable ways of producing food locally have become almost nonexistent," it said.

The UK has said it is doubling its emergency humanitarian aid with another £2.5m to support Red Cross operations and help maintain relief convoys.

Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander said: "Not enough aid is getting through to those who desperately need it."

Heavy fighting

On Thursday, aid agencies said they had evacuated hundreds of wounded civilians, including 50 critically ill children, to a hospital in the town of Vavuniya.

The pro-rebel TamilNet website quoted a rebel spokesman, S Puleedevan, as denying reports the rebels had initially prevented the Red Cross convoy from leaving.

Mr Puleedevan described the reports as "mischievous".

The military says it is involved in a final push against the retreating rebels.

It has captured the key towns of Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and the strategically important Elephant Pass in recent weeks.

The BBC's Ethirajan Anbarasan is at Elephant Pass with the army.

He says he can hear artillery fire 15km (nine miles) to the south and has been told there is heavy fighting there.

Our correspondent says commanders are confident the fighting will be over in the coming days - though they do not specify how long exactly it will take. They are upbeat and say rebel resistance is crumbling.

He has been told another 10 rebels have been killed in the latest fighting, though this cannot be independently verified.

Colombo, Jan 30: At least 16 LTTE rebels were killed in fierce clashes with the Sri Lanka Army which broke through the defences of one of the remaining rebel bastions, even as the Navy sunk an approaching explosives-laden suicide boat this morning.

Sri Lanka Navy attack boats deployed in the Mullaittivu seas destroyed an LTTE suicide boat around 3 am this morning, officials said.

The navy boats deployed in the sea blockade along the north-eastern coast intercepted the explosive-laden Tiger suicide craft launched from the Mullaittivu coast and destroyed it with heavy gunfire, sources said.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa last night set a 48-hour ultimatum to the beleaguered LTTE to surrender and allow free movement of civilians trapped in conflict areas and assured a "safe passage" to civilians.

"I urge the LTTE, within the next 48 hours to allow free movement of civilians to ensure their safety and security. For all those civilians, I assure a safe passage to a secure environment," Rajapaksa said.

The statement came two days after External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee met Rajapaksa here and sought an assurance that the safety of Tamil civilians caught in the hostilities will be ensured.

Meanwhile, ground clashes continued, with Sri Lanka Army thrusting into the remaining LTTE hideouts stretching from the south of Kilaly lagoon to the Paranthan- Mullaittivu road, the Defence Ministry said.

At present, Lanka Navy has deployed four blockades along the north-eastern coast of the island to prevent arms supplies and LTTE cadres from escaping via sea route.