Lanka rejects LTTE ceasefire offer, concerns for people grow

Colombo, Apr 26: A cornered LTTE today announced a unilateral ceasefire, but Sri Lanka quickly dismissed the offer calling it a "joke" as troops captured Vlayarmadam area from the Tigers and encircled the remaining strip of land where rebel leader V Prabhakaran is believed to be hiding.

The truce offer by the LTTE, currently confined to a 5 sq. Km strip of land in Wanni region, came amid calls from UN, US and UK and other countries for a pause in the offensive in the northern region for the safety of civilians.

The LTTE said it announced the ceasefire in the face of an "unprecedented humanitarian crisis" and in response to the calls made by the UN, EU, US, India and other countries.

However, the Government said it is not taking the truce offer by the LTTE seriously and termed it as a "joke".

"It is an attempt by the LTTE to deceive the world and get time for them to regroup. There is no meaning for a ceasefire at this time with a losing force like the LTTE. It is a joke," Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.

The developments came on a day when the troops captured Vlayarmadam area as 23 Tamil Tigers manning the rebels' surrendered to the Sri Lankan army.

Meanwhile, UN humanitarian chief John Holmes, who is currently in Colombo, asked the government to halt its military offensive against the LTTE in order to allow aid workers to help civilians trapped in the 'No Fire Zone'. PTI