COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Government on Sunday said it was ready to airlift the body of slain Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Nadarajah Raviraj to enable family members perform funeral rites in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna on Wednesday.

A statement put out by the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said the Government had `turned down' for `security reasons' the request made by the TNA and family members of Raviraj to briefly open the Muhamalai checkpoint on the A-9 highway for transportation of the body.

Defence Spokesman and Minister Kheliya Ramubkwella said all facilities had been provided to airlift members of the family, relatives, colleagues as well as friends to Jaffna. It is immediately not known whether the family has agreed to the suggestion.

"The Minister also pointed out that the President's instructions should be followed by the Government and interested parties should not make the opening of the A-9 road an issue for narrow political gain," the MCNS said.

The Government has shut down the A-9 highway, which links Jaffna peninsula to the rest of the country, from August 11 following clashes between the military and LTTE.

The military said Tamil Tigers' cadres fired at Special Task Force (STF) foot patrol in Mandur and Palamuna in Batticaloa on Sunday.

It claimed that Tiger cadres had been firing sporadically at the Security Forces in Kadjuwatte and Mankerni from un-cleared areas since the early hours of Friday,

"But today (Sunday), their Artillery and Mortar fire was supported by ground cadres to attack the security forces. Troops who have been alerted to these threats have successfully repulsed these attacks with heavy fire and the Tigers were forced to withdraw with heavy casualties," it said.

TamilNet in a report claimed that Sri Lanka Army on Sunday morning intensified multi-barrel and artillery attacks from four different bases towards Tigers-controlled Vaharai, forcing thousands of internally displaced Tamil families from Vaharai, Panichchankerni and Alamkulam to flee on foot.

"The already scuttled transport was brought to a halt by the intensified attack, reported between 3.30 and 8.30 a.m. The artillery barrage comes amid condemnations from the international community against the attack on refugee camp in Kathiraveli, 15 km north of Vaharai... ,'' it said.

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