Government to review arrangements facilitating civilian influx

CHAMINDA PERERA

Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday said the Government will review the existing arrangement to accept the civilians fleeing from uncleared areas in the Mullaitivu district from today following the suicide attack at Sugandirapuram which killed more than 28 persons including unarmed soldiers.

Addressing a press briefing in Colombo, the Minister said the influx of civilians in their thousands to the Government controlled areas in defiance of LTTE’s directive has caused many problems within the LTTE and it has resorted to killing innocent Tamil civilians as a final resort to prevent them from fleeing areas under their command.

The Minister said the LTTE is trying to instill a fear psychosis in the minds of civilians who have been used as a human shield when all attempts by the terrorists to hold the territory were foiled by the Security Forces.

The Minister said over 20,000 civilians have arrived to government controlled areas in the Vavuniya and Jaffna districts after President Mahinda Rajapaksa assured that all needs of civilians fleeing from uncleared areas are expeditiously addressed by the Government.

There was speculation from some quarters that the civilians trapped in the Mullaitivu district would disregard the President’s call. But they started fleeing from the uncleared areas after the President promised to provide all facilities including safety if they arrive in Government controlled areas, the Minister said.

“In addition to seven Welfare Centres in operation, five more welfare centres will soon be established in Vavuniya to accommodate civilians coming from the uncleared areas. Over 2000 civilians have arrived at Vadamarachchi by boats and the Jaffna Government Agent has provided all facilities to them, the Minister said. He said the Government has requested the international community and the diplomatic missions in Colombo to exert more pressure on the sagging LTTE to release these civilians trapped by them.

The international community should denounce this type of heinous attack targetting innocent civilians and demand their release from the clutches of LTTE terrorists through the Tamil people domiciled overseas. The Minister said the international community will realise how the LTTE is attempting to halt the exodus of civilians from uncleared areas to Government controlled areas.

This premeditated attack targeting the members of their own community who suffered tremendous hardships under their control demonstrate that the LTTE does not have an iota of respect for the civilian lives.