Urgent Press Release

LTTE Headquarters
Tamil Eelam            
15th July 1999        

LTTE REJECTS SRI LANKA'S DEMAND: SPECTRE OF STARVATION IN VANNI

The talks between Sri Lanka Army and the LTTE to open a new supply route through Mankulam on the A9 highway have reached an impasse over disagreement pertaining to modalities to create a de-militarised zone.

The LTTE leadership has rejected the government's proposal that the Tamil guerrillas should withdraw five kilometres from the present forward defence lines to create a demilitarised "no man's land". The LTTE has told that the ICRC delegates, who have been mediating between the Sri Lankan army and the Tamil fighters that Sri Lanka's proposal has serious strategic and military implications disadvantages to the LTTE. It is well known that the Liberation Tigers have fought a bloody defensive battle for nearly two years and foiled Sri Lanka's offensive operation called "Jaayasikuri" (Victory Assured) to open up the A9 highway from Vavuniya to Jaffna. Sri Lanka abandoned the offensive operation with the fall of Killinochchi military complex in the hands the LTTE and presently the government troops are bogged down in the Mnkulam jungles. The LTTE suspects the withdrawal of its forces to several miles back from its present entrenched positions to create a demilitarised zone might encourage the army to embark on a new adventure to move forward along the A9 highway. The LTTE also views that the government, by stipulating an unfair and unacceptable demand on the guerrillas, is deliberately delaying the food and other essential supplies to Vanni population.

Over half a million Tamil people in the LTTE controlled Vanni area in northern Sri Lanka are facing the spectre of starvation following the closure of the supply route at Ugilankulam by the Sri Lankan military authorities on the 26th May this year when they launched the operation Rana Goosa in the Mannar district.

Relief food supplies, medicines and other essential item to the war affected population have been suspended ever since the closure of this route along with ambulance and postal services. In view of this critical situation the LTTE agreed in principle to open the Mankulam route to facilitate the food supply and movement of civilians. But the Sri Lanka army is stipulating modalities which are unacceptable to the LTTE.

(Released by the LTTE International Secretariat, 211 Katherine Rd., london E6 1BU, United Kingdom Tel: 0181 503 4294)