The Ceylon News

New Delhi: India on Wednesday unveiled its intention to play a proactive role in Sri Lanka by asking the Tamil Tigers to give up their weapons and said it was ready to work with Colombo to evacuate civilians caught up in the war zone.

Under pressure to act following widespread reports of civilian suffering in fighting between the military and the Tigers, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Lok Sabha that India was also ready to assist in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Sri Lanka's war-hit northeast.

Speaking even as a section of MPs from Tamil Nadu interrupted him raising slogans like "Stop the war", Mukherjee outlined at length the Government's thinking on Sri Lanka, where the military has almost overwhelmed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

"As the conflict enters what may be the final phase of military operations, the LTTE would best serve the interest of the Tamils by immediately releasing all civilians (in its zone) and laying down arms," he said.

In one of the most critical statements ever against the LTTE, Mukherjee recalled that it was an outlawed group in India and accused the Tigers of having "done much damage to the Tamil community".

"India is ready to facilitate the evacuation of civilians trapped in the area of conflict, working with the government of Sri Lanka and the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) who would take responsibility for the security, screening and rehabilitation of these internally displaced persons," he said.

Mukherjee was referring to thousands of Tamil civilians who have been trapped in a small area in Mullaitivu district where the military has ringed the LTTE guerrillas.

International rights groups have accused the military of shelling them and the LTTE of preventing them from leaving the area. Both have denied the allegations.

In his statement, Mukherjee said that in the last two weeks, nearly 35,000 civilians have come out of LTTE held areas.

"Sadly, some of those escaping from the conflict have been caught in crossfire, and in recent incidents have been stopped and even killed by LTTE cadres," he said.

The minister said "a serious source of concern to us has been the condition of civilians and internally displaced persons, mostly Tamil, caught in the zone of conflict... The LTTE were reportedly using them as human shields".

New Delhi, Feb 18 : External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today asked the LTTE to immediately release all civilians and lay down arms even as the MDMK and PMK members from Tamil Nadu forced adjournment of the Lok Sabha twice following slogan shouting demonstration demanding an end to the war in Sri Lanka.

"As the conflict enters what may be the final phase of military operations, the LTTE would best serve the interests of the Tamils by immediately releasing all civilians and laying down arms," he said while making a suo motu statement on the situation in Sri Lanka.

He said New Delhi was ready to facilitate the evacuation of civilians trapped in the area of conflict. The second batch of relief material was being sent.

Mr Mukherjee alleged that the LTTE cadres had been stopping civilians escaping from the conflict and even killing them.

He said Sri Lankan forces had made significant advances into LTTE-held territory, restricting LTTE cadres to a small area of approximately 150 sq km adjacent to the coast.

Sri Lankan forces have captured Killinochchi, Elephant Pass and Mullaitivu town and have regained control of the A-9 highway.

The Minister assured the House that the government would continue to stay engaged in the process of bringing 'enduring' peace to Sri Lanka, working with the government and the various communities there, in pursuit of our common security and prosperity.

"India continues to suport a negotiated political settlement in Sri Lanka within the framework of an undivided Sri Lanka acceptable to all the communities, including the Tamil community," he said.

Dissatisfied with the Minister's statement, PMK and MDMK members, who came to the House wearing black shirts, created noisy scenes, leading to adjournment of the house for 25 minutes till 1245 hrs.

When the House reassembled, the members continued with their slogan shouting protest asking India to exert pressure to stop the war against ethnic Tamils. They rushed to the well of the House, forcing the Chair again to adjourn the House till 1400 hrs.

(RTTNews) - The UNICEF has voiced serious concern over the "forcible recruitment" of child-soldiers, some as young as 14, by the Tamil terrorist organization, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), as well of them being killed or injured in the ongoing war in Sri Lanka's northwest, media reports said.

The statement came as Sri Lankan military said troops were moving in to dominate the entire Puthukkuduyiruppu western area even as ground forces were engaged in pitched battles with Tamil Tiger rebels.

The U.N agency said Tuesday it had ample proof that indicates that the Tamil rebels had intensified forcible recruitment of civilians, and children as young as 14 were being targeted. It had recorded more than 6,000 cases of children recruited by the LTTE between 2003 and 2008. It also said it was alarmed at the high number of children being injured in the fighting.

These children are facing immediate danger and their lives are at great risk. Their recruitment is intolerable, said Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF's Representative in Sri Lanka. Child soldiers suffer physical abuse, traumatic events and face death. Instead of hope, fear defines their childhood, said Duamelle, adding, scores of injured children were evacuated in the past week.

The Defense Ministry quoted Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa as saying the forces had taken maximum precautions to avoid civilian casualties in the counter-terrorist operations in the north. He said the military had been restrained in using indirect fire at remaining terrorist enclaves to ensure safety of civilians.

The U.N agency for children reiterated its appeal to the government and the LTTE that civilians, especially children, must be given every protection in the fighting.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) evacuated 440 patients and their families from the Wanni to Trincomalee by ferry.

"Families continue to arrive in Putumattalan in a state of utter exhaustion and despair, hoping to be treated and rescued. But the reality is that there is an almost complete lack of medicine and relief items there," said Paul Castella, head of the ICRC delegation in Sri Lanka.

"We did save lives today but many people remain behind, helpless and anxiously waiting to be evacuated. It is now a matter of life and death," he added.