Don't fire in the safe zones: Pranab urges Lanka

NEW DELHI: Maintaining that India has no sympathy for the terrorist organization LTTE, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said the
Sri Lankan forces should make a distinction between LTTE and Tamil civilians and not fire at 'safe zones'.

At a Congress conclave here, Mukherjee said India has been demanding extradition of LTTE chief V Prabhakaran every year.

"We have no sympathy for LTTE which is a terrorist organization. It has been banned here, in Sri Lanka and many other parts of the world," he said at the conclave which was attended by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

He said India has asked the Sri Lankan government to ensure that Tamil civilians do not get victimized in the fight between security forces and LTTE.

"Please make a distinction between LTTE and Tamil civilians," Mukherjee said addressing the Sri Lankan government.

He said that after his visit to Colombo recently, the government there announced a 48-hr ceasefire and asked civilians to move to 'safe zones' from the LTTE-controlled areas so that they can be provided food and security.

"Don't fire in the 'safe zones'," the minister urged Sri Lanka, adding humanitarian help should also reach civilians.

Mukherjee said the Sri Lankan government should implement the Indo-Sri Lanka accord, signed in 1987 during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure.

The external affairs minister conveyed similar views to his Danish counterpart Per Stig Moller, who called him up to discuss the current situation in Sri Lanka and express concern over the condition of civilians in northern Lanka.

Mukherjee told Moller that safety and security of civilians and internally displaced persons (IDP) in the LTTE-controlled areas continued to be a source of concern.

He said India was doing its best to ensure that the civilians are moved to safety.

Mukherjee drew his attention to India's humanitarian assistance of food, non-food and medical supplies for these affected IDPs and civilians and said the Sri Lankan government had assured that the material would be provided to the affected people.

The way forward, he said, must include credible devolution of powers, early return of democracy and rehabilitation and reconstruction of affected areas.