Sri Lankan President to dispatch special emissary to India

T V Sriram

Colombo, Apr 22 (PTI) As the number of trapped Tamil
civilians crossing over to safer government held zones nears
hundred thousand mark, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa
is dispatching a special emissary to India to discuss the
relief and rehabilitation measures for these people.

The President is sending his special advisor and
brother Basil Rajapaksa to India to discuss the humanitarian
situation, as leaders in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu
are pressuring that India prevail upon the island nation to
declare a ceasefire.

"Basil Rajapaksa will be leaving for India. But no
dates have yet been finalised. The visit will be undertaken
shortly," official sources told PTI.

The sources said the talks will focus on the
humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka in the backdrop of a
sudden spurt in Tamil civilians escaping from the No Fire Zone
to the government controlled areas.

Till last reports came, an estimated 82,000 people had
crossed the battle lines in northern Sri Lanka to government
held 'safe zones'. Overall Lankan authorities say that there
are now more than 120,000 people in relief camps.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered officials to
provide immediate assistance to the displaced Tamils.

The Sri Lankan government is expected to drive home
the point that the war with Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) is almost over with tiger supremo Velupillai
Prabhakaran and his commanders left with only a few sq kms
near Pudukudiyirippu.

The Sri Lankan leader is also expected to seek Indian
assistance in the challenging task of rehabilitating the Tamil
civilians.

During Basil's previous visit, India as a gesture of
goodwill, sent around 800 tonnes of relief material to Sri
Lanka for the affected civilians in the North. PTI TVS
RAI
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