DMK flays LTTE for not responding to 48-hour ceasefire
The Ruling DMK yesterday sharply criticised the LTTE
for not responding to the 48-hour ceasefire declared by the Sri Lankan
Government in the Vanni region to evacuate civilians caught in the
fighting between the Army and the Tigers.
The LTTE had not given any word on the safe passage of
Tamils in the conflict zone, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister and DMK General
Secretary K Anbazhagan said in the State Assembly.
Replying to a mention by Congress whip S.Peter
Alphones in this regard, he said even after last night's (Thursday's)
announcement of the ceasefire by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, LTTE
leader V Prabhakaran and his cadres did not come forward to reciprocate
it.
UN agencies had also welcomed the new move by the Sri
Lankan government, said Anbhazhagan, who faced questions from the
members on the issue for the second day in the absence of Chief Minister
M Karunanidhi, who is indisposed. He wondered why the LTTE had not yet
allowed the people a safe passage from the war zone.
Anbazhagan said the recent visit of External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Sri Lanka was the first step to save Tamils
living there.
"This is the first step the Centre had taken to save
Tamils in the island nation. We should try to take more such steps in
bringing a sustained peace atmosphere for Tamils living there," he said.
To a question by PMK leader G.K.Mani that the war in
Sri Lanka should be stopped, Anbazhagan replied that the fighting was
not taking place in a particular zone.
"Even the Sri Lankan Government is not willing to
disclose to us that there is a war in their country. Even if we ask them
in this regard, they will say they are only fighting with terrorist
group LTTE to stop terrorism," he added.
Courtesy : Daily News
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