ICRC refused to go to Vakarai - Military spokesman

by Ranga Jayasuriya

Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said last night that the ICRC had so far refused to go to Vakarai despite a request by the security forces to facilitate the transfer of nine bodies of the soldiers who were killed in the Friday battle in Mankerni.

The LTTE had said nine bodies of soldiers who were killed in the clash in Panichchankerni were in their hands.

A wounded soldier, K. M. S. Ratnayake of 6 Gamunu Watch was also taken into custody by the LTTE.

"We are trying our level best to secure the release of the soldier and transfer the nine bodies," said Brigadier Samarasinghe.

He said the Army had requested the ICRC to facilitate the transfer of the bodies yesterday itself.

But the ICRC had refused to go to Vakarai to receive the bodies from the LTTE. He said the Army also informed the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission of the arrest of Pvt Ratnayake and requested SLMM facilitation to secure his release.

Pvt Ratnayake was wounded in his stomach and knee. Meanwhile, the SLMM spokesman Thorfinur Omarsson said the Scandinavian monitors planned to facilitate the transfer of bodies today (8).

"We would also try to secure the release of the soldier," he said.

The SLMM spokesman also said ceasefire monitors visited Vakarai yesterday.

He denied reports that the Panichchankerni Bridge was destroyed.

"It is only a rumour. Our monitors passed the bridge to go to Vakarai," said the SLMM spokesman.

The ICRC could not be contacted for comment.