LTTE says it will not surrender, calls for international action

(March 07, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka have rejected a call by the International Committee of the Red Cross for a mass evacuation of tens-of-thousands of civilians trapped with them amid fierce fighting against government forces.

In an exclusive interview with SBS Radio, a spokesman for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, identifying himself as Thileepan, said the civilians did not want to leave the LTTE-controlled area.

Mr Thileepan said this was despite a looming humanitarian disaster, caused by severe government restrictions on food and medical supplies going into the area. The spokesman said the LTTE was willing to enter a ceasefire with the Sri Lankan government, but the rebels would not agree to surrender.

And he said the LTTE rejected speculation that it could be linked to the attack in Pakistan on the Sri Lankan cricket team.

Mr Thileepan spoke to Brami Jegan of the SBS Radio

Source: SBS,Australia.

Key points he has highlighted:

(1)Shelling and aerial bombing by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is taking place 24 hours a day, every day, including in safety zones.

(2)More than 350,000 people are living in LTTE controlled areas.

(3)To date, 11 people have died because of lack of food and the LTTE say unless food is sent to the conflict zone urgently and immediately, the civilians face dire threat of starvation.

(4)About 6000 patients are in the only remaining hospital in Mattalam which is now being conducted out of a school. The most common disease right now is diarrhoea because they don't have proper drinking water.

(5)The LTTE say the GoSL has put an economic, medical and food embargo.

(6)The GoSL is using white phosphorus artillery shells and cluster bombs. The LTTE can confirm that the ICRC have been given photos of civilians burnt by white phosphorus artillery shells.

(7)The LTTE have denied allegations that they are not allowing civilians to leave the conflict zone or that they have shot at civilians who have tried to leave.

(8)The LTTE are calling GoSL camps for civilians that leave their area as 'concentration camps'.

(9)The LTTE are NOT recruiting under-age children to fight. The minimum age for enrollment is 18.

(10)The LTTE are still willing to negotiate a ceasefire with the GoSL, but will not lay down their arms until the freedom or self-determination of their people is guaranteed.

(11)The LTTE say they will not surrender. They say they will keep fighting for the freedom of the Tamils and for their self determination and are confident they will achieve this.

(12)The LTTE say its leader, Mr Vellupillai Prabhakaran and his family are still in the war-zone with the Tamil people.

(13)The LTTE will NOT allow a mass evacuation that has been requested by the ICRC because Tamil people should be able to live in their land, and not be forced out.

(14)The LTTE say they are not holding any UN personnel by force.

(15)The LTTE have no connections with the attacks in Pakistan and will not provide a further comment.-Sri Lanka Guardian