Cessation of hostilities: Did Chidambaram jump the gun?

By Sandeep Unnithan

(April 28, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) Did Home Minister P. Chidambaram jump the gun on Monday in welcoming a 'cessation of hostilities in Sri Lanka'? Hours after Chidambaram said this and urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi to call off his fast, Sri Lankan officials said that they had made no such declaration.

Lankan officials say they had only announced that heavy calibre weapons and aerial bombardment would not be used while rescuing thousands of civilians trapped in the northern war zone.

"There is no ceasefire. The government will go ahead with their operation to get the civilians out of the 'No Fire Zone' who are being held hostage by the LTTE," Lakshman Hullagulle, Director-General of the Media Centre for National Security, told PTI.

Chidambaram, who spoke to the Tamil Nadu chief minister, informing him of the Sri Lankan government's decision, told PTI from Kariakudi, where he is campaigning, that "Sri Lanka's announcement offers solace to us. The next course of action on the issue will be decided in consultation with all."

"I think we all should welcome the development. More needs to be done. The government of India will do more. The Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) and the NSA (M.K. Narayanan) are in touch with the Sri Lankan authorities. We will try to do more. But for now this means there is cessation of hostilities," he said.

The Lankan government said as the security forces are now close to victory it will in no form leave a breather for the LTTE or its leaders by offering a truce. He said the government today instructed security forces not to use of heavy calibre guns, combat aircraft and aerial weapons which could cause civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, the defence ministry said the government's announcement is in line with its policy of 'Zero Civilian Casualty Policy (ZCC).

A senior official also refuted media reports that the Lankan government has announced a ceasefire. The official described the logic behind the government's decision "as an exhibit of its grave concern to avoid any form of collateral-damage while surging into the remaining 5 sq km swathe of coast, south of Valayarmadam and Vellamullivaikkal."

-Sri Lanka Guardian