The 48-hour deadline served by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the LTTE on Thursday, January 29, to allow the displaced to move to safer areas expired on Friday with very few civilians taking up the offer.
The LTTE labelled the offer a “deception”' and called for an “internationally mooted ceasefire” to provide meaningful relief to civilians caught in the war. However, Sri Lanka swiftly rejected any possibility of a ceasefire.
In the 48-hours, only 26 civilians crossed through Oamanthai into Sri Lankan government controlled area, according to Vavuniya District Secretariat sources.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan military sources put the number of civilians who crossed Oamanthai at 65.
Rajapakse said he was offering safe passage to the civilians so they could leave the LTTE held territory. Earlier Rajapakse accused the LTTE of refusing to let the civilians leave.
"I urge the [LTTE], within the next 48 hours to allow free movement of civilians to ensure their safety and security. For all those civilians, I assure a safe passage to a secure environment," he said.
However, LTTE political wing leader B Nadesan denied the LTTE was blocking civilians.
Nadesan speaking to the BBC said the people did not wish to end up in the hands of "their killers".
Nadesan told BBC's Chris Morris in Colombo that 28 people had been killed by shellfire during Rajapakse's offer of 48 hour safe passage period.
Tamil observers pointed out that the safe passage offers came with no practical measures in place to facilitate the movement of people through heavily militarised areas and forward defence localities. The government did not request the help of ICRC or any other aid agency to monitor or support the movement of people.
MDMK leader Vaiko commenting on the 48-hour ceasefire announced by Rajapakse said it was only aimed at "fooling" the world.
In a statement released in Chennai, Vaiko said 'unless there is an unconditional ceasefire, the present announcement can only be seen as an excuse to intensify army offensive and aimed at fooling the world," Vaiko said.
India cannot claim credit to the latest announcement of truce from Colombo, as "it never pressed for a ceasefire," with the Sri Lankan leadership, he said.
New Delhi, however, saw the offer differently and welcomed Sri Lanka’s announcement that its army would allow a safe passage to Tamil civilians trapped in northern parts of the island nation and hoped they would be able to move to safety from the area of conflict between military and LTTE.
"India welcomes this important announcement and hopes that with implementation of these steps, the condition of civilians caught in those conflict areas will improve," Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters in New Delhi.
Menon noted that safety of civilians trapped in northern areas was one of the issues discussed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee with Rajapakse during his visit to Colombo recently.
"We are happy to see the steps being taken by Sri Lanka and we hope that all civilians will be able to move to safety," the Foreign Secretary said.
"India welcomes this important announcement and hopes that with implementation of these steps, the condition of civilians caught in those conflict areas will improve," Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters in New Delhi.
Menon noted that safety of civilians trapped in northern areas was one of the issues discussed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee with Rajapakse during his visit to Colombo recently.
"We are happy to see the steps being taken by Sri Lanka and we hope that all civilians will be able to move to safety," the Foreign Secretary said.
