Allow free movement to the civilians in 48 hours- President urges
LTTE
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri
Lanka has urged the LTTE to allow the civilians held as a human shield
in Wanni to go for their safety. In statement issued yesterday (Jan 29)
he further assures safer passage to a security environment.
The statement in full:
My Government, since its election, has always been
concerned about the welfare of all citizens of Sri Lanka and their
economic and social progress. The welfare of the citizens of the
Northern and Eastern Provinces, especially of those in areas dominated
by the LTTE, has been of even greater concern to my Government. As a
result, my Government has always been committed to usher peace in those
regions so that all people of Sri Lanka, especially those in the North
and the East will have the opportunity to exercise their democratic
rights and choose their leaders freely through elections to realise
their political aspirations within the democratic framework that has
flourished in Sri Lanka for long years.
However, all efforts for finding solutions peacefully
for outstanding issues in the North and the East were repudiated by the
LTTE and I was compelled to take measures to combat the terrorism
unleashed by the LTTE on the people of Sri Lanka. In the efforts to
eradicate terrorism and in the humanitarian operations to free civilians
from suffering and insecurity, the Government and the Security Forces
have been conscious of the welfare of civilians, their lives and
property at all times.
In addition, as a democratically elected Government
with a clear mandate from the people, we have always been determined to
protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka and to
find solutions to all problems within a democratic framework while
uniting all the people of Sri Lanka.
In this context, the Security Forces have been
successful in conducting their mandated operations to achieve these
objectives of the Government and the people of Sri Lanka.
The Government is now poised to take decisive steps
that will enable an environment conducive for the reintroduction of
democracy that will provide the people of the Northern Province an
opportunity to exercise their right to elect their leaders by free
choice so that solutions can be found for all outstanding issues through
negotiation and discussion and not through violence.
As a result of the operations by Security Forces, LTTE
control over civilians is now confined to a small area in the Northern
Province and a large number of civilians are being held there forcibly
by the LTTE, thus endangering innocent civilian lives.
Being acutely conscious of the welfare of the
civilians forcibly being held in the conflict zone by the LTTE, we have
declared a safe zone for civilians, the co-ordinates of which were
announced by the Security Forces.
This is to ensure that they stay out of harm's way
during engagements between Security Forces and armed LTTE cadres, and to
assure the safety and security of civilians.
It is unfortunate that the LTTE is exploiting this
declared safe zone for civilians by placing their heavy artillery within
the safe zone and using it as a launching pad to attack Security Forces
and indiscriminately kill civilians."
"I urge the LTTE, within the next 48 hours to allow
free movement of civilians to ensure their safety and security. For all
those civilians, I assure a safe passage to a secure environment.
I also assure all those living in the North and in
conflict areas in particular, that vacating LTTE held areas will ensure
the physical, security and enable peace, freedom and rights for all
citizens of the country." |
