Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe

Minister of Human rights, Mahinda Samarasinha told Sandeshaya that the UN once proposed a ceasefire and later a pause but the government of Sri Lanka has consistently maintained that the rebels should lay down weapons and end hostilities.

“We are moving inch by inch to minimize civilian causalities” said Minister Samarasinha.

He dispelled reports by health officials from the area and said that they are being pressurised by the LTTE.

Meanwhile, the Defence Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakara denied claims that the Army had used poisonous gases against the LTTE.

“We have never used gas or chemical weapons against the LTTE, but there were occasions when LTTE used them”, said Brigadier Nanayakara.

No chemical weapons

The defence spokesman said that the Army was in very close range to the LTTE and if gas was used it could have harmed the army themselves.

Dr T. Sathyamoorthi who spoke from the Pudumathalan hospital said that there were no victims of chemical attacks among the casualties he had so far treated.

The doctor said he had never seen any casualties affected from chemical weapons. The Tamil Tigers claime the military had been using chemical weapons. The government forces denied the accusations.