Civilian cross-overs exceed 47,000

Over 5,000 arrive during last six days:

Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

The number of civilians who crossed over to Government controlled area was 47,241 up to date; Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said.

Addressing the media yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat, the Minister said 5,006 people arrived in the government controlled area during the last six days. He said civilians have escaped from the LTTE facing shootings and numerous difficulties. The Minister said the name of the Mullaitivu Regional Director of Health Services and forged letter heads are being used to mislead the international community and the media for false propaganda on the present situation of the North.

The Minister showed such two letter heads of the Mullaitivu Regional Director of Health Services which can be easily identified as bogus letter heads. Minister Samarasinghe said adequate food and medical supplies have been dispatched to IDP camps and to the uncleared areas. One thousand two hundred and sixty five metric tonnes of food items including 15 mt of vegetables were sent to IDP camps and uncleared areas last week, he said.

The Minister said 52 important medical items including antibiotics were sent to regional medical supplies department on March 5 to be sent to Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. The Minister said pro-LTTE demonstrations were held in Geneva, Switzerland, Brussels, Belgium and Torronto, Canada where the LTTE was being prosecuted. The Foreign Ministry will take action in this regard, he said.