LTTE shoots at homeward-bound Tamilians; casualties unknown

The firing began as the first batch of 100 people, holding white flags, began crossing over to the LTTE side on foot. Except three people, who are reported to have got across, the rest ran back into the vehicles, which turned around hurriedly and headed back to Vavuniya.

They arrived here in the last week of June from their homes in the LTTE-held areas for various chores just ahead of an army operation in Mannar, north-west Sri Lanka. The operation sealed off the only crossing point between the two sides at Uiylankulam, preventing their return.

Stuck without money, they agitated to return home even as thearmy and the LTTE were locked in a stand-off over an alternate route that would permit not only civilians to cross over but also enable the government to send food, medicines and other relief supplies to around three lakh people living in Tiger territory.

On Wednesday, the army said it would permit the stranded civilians to go back to their homes through a previously undesignated exit point on the FDL as a “humanitarian gesture”. It said the LTTE had been informed of the cross-over through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“They have said they will return to their homes at their own risk,” said Major-General Lionel Balagalle earlier today, as the civilians crammed eagerly into buses and trucks to begin the journey home.

“We hope the LTTE responds favourably,” he had said.

The army’s decision to permit the civilians to expose themselves to the danger was obviously intended to force the issue of the alternate route with the LTTE.

But by today’s attack, the LTTE, which wants tobe recognised as the “sole representative of the Tamils”, demonstrated that it would not hesitate to attack the very people it claims to protect in order to safeguard its own interests.

Negotiations for opening an alternate supply route have been deadlocked for more than a month over the size of a buffer zone on this new route between the checkpoints of the two sides.

The military’s proposal for a five-km long and one-km wide zone beyond the last army checkpoint was rejected by the rebel group which fears that the army would use such a zone to launch more offensives.

Instead, it suggested a 250m X 250m “no-man’s land”. This, in turn, was rejected by the military because of the “eyeball-to-eyeball” distance from LTTE bunkers which put the army checkpoint within small arms range.

The army’s alternate offer for a zone of the same dimensions in another less strategic area has met with no response from the LTTE.

“We have had too many confrontations with the LTTE at these checkpoints and we want toavoid such incidents in the future. It not only leads to casualties for the army, but also suffering for civilians because after every incident, we stop sending food and other relief supplies for some time till we can get an assurance from the LTTE,” said Ballagalle.

Ballagalle said that by delaying a resolution of the stand-off, the LTTE which claimed to be “the sole representative” of the Tamil people was only causing them hardship.