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58,000 civilians flee no-fire zone

— Photo: AFP/SRI LANKAN ARMY

The exodus: This picture released by the Sri Lankan Army on Tuesday shows civilians leaving an area controlled by Tamil Tigers in north-eastern Sri Lanka.

COLOMBO: Amid an announcement by the Sri Lanka military that over 58,000 civilians trapped in the no-fire zone (NFZ) have crossed over into government territory in the early hours of Monday since the security forces breached the three-kilometre-long earthen wall built by the LTTE on the western edge of the NFZ, President Mahinda Rajapaksa turned down a fresh request by the United Kingdom for a pause in the military action.

In the course of a telephone conversation initiated by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Mr. Rajapaksa said he had a responsibility to take care of the welfare of civilians fleeing the clutches of the LTTE and a halt in the offensive would not help the citizens stranded in the NFZ.

Mr. Rajapaksa, however, assured Mr. Brown that his government was committed to not only the re-settlement of the displaced citizens but also working towards a national consensus on a political solution, acceptable to all stake holders, of the ethnic strife.

The President’s articulation of the vision of his government of the evolving situation came as the Tigers ignored the 24-hour deadline to surrender arms.

In a formal statement, the LTTE reiterated its appeal to the international community to pressure the government to halt the military offensive and offered to hold unconditional talks.

With the decision of the government to go ahead with its mission to rescue the civilians in the NFZ, the focus of discussions in the diplomatic and political circles was on the fate of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabakaran and the remaining Tiger leaders and cadres.

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