LTTE should lay down arms: Pranab

Denouncing the LTTE, India on Wednesday said the outfit had caused much damage to Tamil community and it should lay down arms as there is a political opportunity after 23 years to restore normalcy in northern parts of the island nation.

Denouncing the LTTE, India on Wednesday said the outfit had caused "much damage" to Tamil community and it should lay down arms as there is a political opportunity after 23 years to restore normalcy in northern parts of the island nation.

Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee

Making a suo motu statement in Lok Sabha, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India remains concerned over the safety and welfare of civilians, most of them Tamils, caught in the conflict and is ready to facilitate their evacuation.

He underlined that full implementation of the 13th amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution, which entails devolution of powers, would be a significant first step towards bringing about a political settlement to the issue.

"India continues to support a negotiated political settlement in Sri Lanka within the framework of an undivided Sri Lanka acceptable to all the communities, including the Tamil community," he said.

"The LTTE remains a proscribed organisation in India and has done much damage to the Tamil community," Mukherjee said in the statement over which members of MDMK and PMK expressed unhappiness and forced two adjournments of the House by creating uproarious scenes.

"As the conflict enters what may be the final phase of military operations, the LTTE would best serve the interest of the Tamils by immediately releasing all civilians and laying down arms," the External Affairs Minister said.

He said during the last two weeks, nearly 35,000 civilians have come out of the LTTE-held areas and around 70,000 are still estimated to be trapped in an area of about 150 sq km still under control of the Tamil Tigers.

"The LTTE were reportedly using them as human shields," Mukherjee said, adding "sadly, some of those escaping from the conflict have been caught in crossfire and, in recent incidents have been stopped and even killed by LTTE cadres."

Mukherjee said India is ready to facilitate evacuation of civilians from the area of conflict, working with the government of Sri Lanka and the International Red Cross.

Red Cross should "take the responsibility for the security, screening and rehabilitation of these internally displaced persons," he said.

Noting that India has "strong concerns" over the safety, security and welfare of civilians caught in the conflict, he said this has "led us to stay actively engaged to prevent a further deterioration of humanitarian conditions."