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Troops encircling last LTTE town: Army

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan military on Friday claimed it was gradually encircling Puthukkudduyirppu, the last town under the control of the LTTE. Two days ago the military announced that area held by Tigers was about 100 sq. km. However, the biggest concern within and outside the nation pertains to civilians caught up in the war.

According to government estimates, the number civilians stranded in LTTE-controlled territory is around 75,000. The estimates by the U.N. and other international aid agencies are higher.

U.N. Under-Secretary General Sir John Holmes, here on a three-day visit, travelled to Vavuniya on Friday to interact with the displaced housed in government camps.

There are no signs so far of the LTTE heeding to appeals from various parts of the globe to give up arms and let the civilians go where they wished.

The military said troops had positioned themselves just 3 to 5 km from Puthukkudduyirppu.

It also said troops had brought the entire Ampalavanpokkani area under their control on Friday afternoon. LTTE cadre had been firing 122mm artillery at troops from guns positioned in the no-fire-zone, it added. Ampalavanpokkani is a remote village situated on the western banks of the Challai lagoon, about 8 km north of the Puthukkudduyirppu junction.

Separately, in an open letter to the leaders and people of Tamil Nadu the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) leader V. Anandasangaree asked leaders from Tamil Nadu to visit Sri Lanka and find out for themselves from the refugees as to how they suffered, how hard life was under the LTTE and how their children were sacrificed at the battle front.

“When the war is about to end with only a small area yet to be liberated and especially when people themselves wanted liberation from the LTTE, which government will agree to stop the war? How can any one find fault with the government of India for not pressurising the Sri Lankan government with an unreasonable demand,” he asked.

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