ID :
56936
Wed, 04/22/2009 - 21:20
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/56936
The shortlink copeid
Refugee flood continues in Sri Lanka as civilians flee rebel area
+
COLOMBO, April 22 Kyodo -
Civilians continued to flee rebel-controlled territory in northeastern Sri
Lanka on Wednesday as the military tightened its noose around the last holdout
of separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, with army commandos and special forces
assigned to hunt down leaders of what was once one of the world's most feared
guerrilla armies, military spokesmen said.
The Defense Ministry said nearly 78,000 civilians had been received in
government-controlled areas in two days up to noon Wednesday and the ministry
and the army published pictures of long lines of desperate people wading
through lagoons to safety.
An estimated 10,000 more had lined up to enter government-controlled areas, the
ministry said.
Two senior cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Daya Master, who was
the organization's chief local spokesman, and George, the senior interpreter
who traveled to several world capitals with the Tamil speaking LTTE leadership
to interpret for them, surrendered Wednesday.
''They are the two most senior people who have given themselves up,'' an army
officer said.
Local newspapers said Wednesday the army was ''slicing the Tiger-held safe
zone'' and quoted military sources as saying commandos and special forces have
''moved into the last LTTE-held area to hunt down the remaining Tiger units''
scattered there.
The LTTE has been fighting for more than three decades for a homeland for the
ethnic Tamil minority in the north and east of Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lanka.
The rebels, boxed in by the army in the northeastern district of Mullaitivu,
have ignored the government's ''surrender before noon Tuesday'' demand while
both sides continue to accuse each other of placing civilians in danger.
Rival claims could not be independently verified as journalists are not
permitted in the area.
''What we are seeing is intense fighting in a very small area overcrowded with
civilians who have fled there,'' said Pierre Krahenbuhl, the director of
operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross.
''The situation is nothing short of catastrophic. Ongoing fighting has killed
or wounded hundreds of civilians who have only minimal access to medical
care,'' he said.
The ICRC, which has a field presence in the area, has called on both sides to
be ''mindful'' of civilians.
==Kyodo
COLOMBO, April 22 Kyodo -
Civilians continued to flee rebel-controlled territory in northeastern Sri
Lanka on Wednesday as the military tightened its noose around the last holdout
of separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, with army commandos and special forces
assigned to hunt down leaders of what was once one of the world's most feared
guerrilla armies, military spokesmen said.
The Defense Ministry said nearly 78,000 civilians had been received in
government-controlled areas in two days up to noon Wednesday and the ministry
and the army published pictures of long lines of desperate people wading
through lagoons to safety.
An estimated 10,000 more had lined up to enter government-controlled areas, the
ministry said.
Two senior cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Daya Master, who was
the organization's chief local spokesman, and George, the senior interpreter
who traveled to several world capitals with the Tamil speaking LTTE leadership
to interpret for them, surrendered Wednesday.
''They are the two most senior people who have given themselves up,'' an army
officer said.
Local newspapers said Wednesday the army was ''slicing the Tiger-held safe
zone'' and quoted military sources as saying commandos and special forces have
''moved into the last LTTE-held area to hunt down the remaining Tiger units''
scattered there.
The LTTE has been fighting for more than three decades for a homeland for the
ethnic Tamil minority in the north and east of Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lanka.
The rebels, boxed in by the army in the northeastern district of Mullaitivu,
have ignored the government's ''surrender before noon Tuesday'' demand while
both sides continue to accuse each other of placing civilians in danger.
Rival claims could not be independently verified as journalists are not
permitted in the area.
''What we are seeing is intense fighting in a very small area overcrowded with
civilians who have fled there,'' said Pierre Krahenbuhl, the director of
operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross.
''The situation is nothing short of catastrophic. Ongoing fighting has killed
or wounded hundreds of civilians who have only minimal access to medical
care,'' he said.
The ICRC, which has a field presence in the area, has called on both sides to
be ''mindful'' of civilians.
==Kyodo
