More civilians flee LTTE grip

By Shanika SRIYANANDA

More civilians have started fleeing to Chalai despite tough warnings and shootings by the Tigers.

The LTTE is now confined to a small area in Puthukuduyirippu.

The troops of the 55 Division, led by Brigadier Prasanna Silva, now advancing towards the safe zone in Puthumathalan, have taken measures to provide maximum safety for the civilians fleeing the LTTE controlled areas.

Brigadier Silva told the Sunday Observer that over 256 civilians have arrived at Thalaiady, Chundikulum, Vettilaikerni, Kevil and Kaddaikadu on March 6 and 7. He said that the troops have to take extra precaution to identify and differentiate between the IDPs and Sea Tigers as the 55 Division is under Black Tiger attacks. “They try to attack us every night and cut off the defence lines. The LTTE Sea Tiger boats try their maximum to breach the FDLs along the coastal line, he said.

Since the 55 Division troops started advancing from Chalai, the LTTE putting maximum pressure to prevent the troops reaching Puthumathalan, attacked the troops for over 15 times. “They have used suicide boats to recapture the narrow stretch of lagoon which separates the Chalai and Puthumathalan. With continuous pressure from Sea Tigers, the troops are advancing towards the safe zone and hope more civilians will arrive, he said.

“But not a single shot is fired at civilians and throughout our military offensives we maintain zero casualty rates. We are concerned about the civilians and the troops know that there are civilians in the safe zones. The troops have assured the safety of the civilians in the safe zone and also those who reach our areas.

No civilians are harmed during our operations,” he said adding that it is a tough and risky matter to identify the Tigers from the civilians who escape under the cover of darkness.

According to the 55 Division Chief, there is an organised body to receive the IDPs from the time they meet the troops until they reach the welfare centres. He said that civilians come at night to avoid the LTTE and they use boats and rafts.“When they are 400 meters away from the coast the troops using flash guns direct them to safe areas to avoid minefields along the coast. There are several minefields with over 6,000 to 7,000 AP mines along the Chalai and Puthumathalan coast”, he said.

Civilians arriving at night will be received by the troops and the sick and wounded are handed over to the Army medical teams in the field. All the civilians will be given refreshments before they are subjected to the final search and will be sent out of the battlefield immediately to the IDP centres in Mirisavil and the IDP centres coming under the Security Forces Commander in Vanni.According to sources, over 1,500 civilians have reached the 55 division so far.