UN staff withdrawn from Jaffna

By V. S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, APRIL 28. In the immediate aftermath of the fall of Elephant Pass and the further advances by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the United Nations today said it was withdrawing from the Jaffna Peninsula its staff working in rehabilitation programmes.

``In response to the evolving security situation, staff working in the rehabilitation programmes will be redeployed elsewhere,'' the UN's resident co-ordinator in Colombo said in a statement. Over 60 staff and subcontracted personnel work for the various UN agencies in Jaffna. The UN's relief assistance, however, would remain ``unaffected'' as the staff working in emergency relief programmes were ``not being redeployed''.

The FAO, the UNICEF, the UNDP, the UN Volunteers, the UNFPA and the UNHCR, are among the agencies involved in assisting war-torn Jaffna. The UNDP's Mine Action Programme, carried out to identify landmines in Jaffna, has also come to an abrupt end following the decision to pull out UN staff.

UNP for war council

The political fallout of the Elephant Pass reversal emerged more clearly with the Opposition United National Party (UNP) blaming the policies followed by the ruling People's Alliance coalition and scoring a political point saying the Government's strategy had been proved wrong.

Calling for a ``war council'' comprising retired senior military officers ``who have served the country with dedication and efficiency'', the UNP said ``the war was exploited'' by the present regime ``as a shortcut for their own political advantage''.

In addition to the war council, the party suggested that the Government prepare a ``strategic plan, including international assistance, military and political solutions'' to overcome the present problem. Blaming the Deputy Defence Minister, Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatte ``for the prevailing tragic situation'' the party said, ``he sidelined efficient and experience officers on political grounds and the war was entrusted to inefficient and non-professional officers.'' The ``negative policies'', the party said, resulted in ``a massive number of heroic youths sacrificing their lives on the war front'' and wanted the war effort to be ``depoliticised''.

On the handling of the war effort by the President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, the UNP said, ``it was conspicuous as well as peculiar that the President did not appoint someone to act for her while she was out of the country at this decisive juncture.''

LTTE makes more `claims'

On the battlefront, the LTTE today claimed to have advanced further in the Jaffna Peninsula. Sources from the north, citing the clandestine Voice of Tigers, said heavy fighting erupted in the Peninsula with the LTTE moving from position gained after last weekend's battles in the Iyakachchi-Elephant Pass sector.

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Section  : International
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