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S Lanka threat on 'foreign bias' S Lanka army to 'free' civilians
(about 2 hours later)
Sri Lanka has warned diplomats, aid agencies and media, including the BBC, that they will be expelled if they seem to favour the Tamil Tiger rebels. The Sri Lankan military has said it will move to "liberate" thousands of civilians in Tamil Tiger rebel areas.
Defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said bias among some foreigners was damaging security forces as they dealt the "final blow" to the rebels. The announcement came after the expiry of a 48-hour government truce for civilians to leave the combat zone.
The warning comes amid growing concern for civilians trapped in the war zone during the army's latest offensive. International concern has grown over the safety of civilians trapped behind the lines during recent heavy fighting.
The army has pushed the Tiger forces into a narrow pocket of land. Meanwhile, the government has warned it will expel diplomats, aid agencies and journalists it deems biased in favour of the Tamil Tigers.
Aid agencies say about 250,000 civilians are behind rebel lines, though the government says the number is lower. An army offensive has pushed the rebels into a 300-sq-km (110-sq-mile) corner of jungle in the north-east of the island, which aid agencies say also holds 250,000 civilians.
Civilians face increasing dangers as heavy fighting closes in and food stocks run low, the agencies report.
See map of the region See map of the region
The Red Cross says hundreds of civilians have been killed in fighting in recent days. The agencies say the people are facing a desperate situation, with hundreds killed in combat in recent days and food supplies running low.
The government says the number of civilians is closer to 120,000 and that the army has a policy of not firing at civilians.
The Sri Lankan government accuses the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of not allowing civilians to leave, saying they are being used as human shields.The Sri Lankan government accuses the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of not allowing civilians to leave, saying they are being used as human shields.
The rebels say the civilians prefer to stay where they are. The rebels say the civilians prefer to stay where they are under Tamil Tiger "protection".
The reports can not be independently confirmed as neither side allows journalists near the war zone.The reports can not be independently confirmed as neither side allows journalists near the war zone.
'Act responsibly' 'Utmost care'
In an interview with the Sunday Island newspaper, Mr Rajapaksa accused the ambassadors of Switzerland and Germany, and news organisations the BBC, CNN and Al-Jazeera of being biased. Officials said about 300 civilians had crossed into government-held territory during the 48-hour truce, which expired late Saturday.
"They will be chased away [if they try] to give a second wind to the LTTE terrorists at a time when the security forces, at heavy cost, are dealing them the final blow," he was quoted as saying.
Mr Rajapaksa said the media organisations were sensationalising civilian hardships by playing video clips from Tamil Tiger websites.
INSURGENCY TIMELINE 1976: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam form in the north-east1987: India deploys peace-keepers to Tamil areas but they leave in 19902002: Government and rebels agree ceasefire2006: Heavy fighting resumes2009: Army takes main rebel bases of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu Fears over Sri Lanka war childrenVoices from Sri LankaTami rebels without the wherewithal
Separately, a defence ministry spokesman said the army will resume its offensive against the Tamil Tigers after a 48-hour truce to allow civilians to leave the combat zone expired, Reuters news agency reported.
"We will now have to save the civilians and move in," the spokesman, Kaheliya Rambukwella, said."We will now have to save the civilians and move in," the spokesman, Kaheliya Rambukwella, said.
INSURGENCY TIMELINE 1976: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam form in the north-east1987: India deploys peace-keepers to Tamil areas but they leave in 19902002: Government and rebels agree ceasefire2006: Heavy fighting resumes2009: Army takes main rebel bases of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu Fears over Sri Lanka war childrenVoices from Sri LankaTami rebels without the wherewithal
"It is now very evident that [Tamil Tiger leader Valupillai] Prabhakaran is... using civilians as cover," Mr Rambukwella said."It is now very evident that [Tamil Tiger leader Valupillai] Prabhakaran is... using civilians as cover," Mr Rambukwella said.
"We will take the utmost care of civilians when we move in.""We will take the utmost care of civilians when we move in."
On Thursday, the government announced a truce of 48 hours to allow civilians to leave the area and on Saturday said several hundred people had crossed the lines into government-held territory.
The military has captured the key towns of Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and the strategically important Elephant Pass to the Jaffna peninsula in recent weeks.The military has captured the key towns of Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and the strategically important Elephant Pass to the Jaffna peninsula in recent weeks.
The BBC's Ethirajan Anbarasan has been in the city of Jaffna on one of the first government-approved media trips to the city - the cultural capital of Sri Lanka's Tamil community - in months.The BBC's Ethirajan Anbarasan has been in the city of Jaffna on one of the first government-approved media trips to the city - the cultural capital of Sri Lanka's Tamil community - in months.
He said thousands of people had attended a rally held by a pro-government Tamil party calling for the rebels to allow civilians to leave the war zone.He said thousands of people had attended a rally held by a pro-government Tamil party calling for the rebels to allow civilians to leave the war zone.
Meanwhile a government minister warned that diplomats, aid agencies and media, including the BBC, will be expelled from Sri Lanka if they seem to favour the Tamil Tiger rebels.
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said bias among some foreigners was damaging security forces as they dealt the "final blow" to the rebels.
In an interview with the Sunday Island newspaper, Mr Rajapaksa accused the ambassadors of Switzerland and Germany, and news organisations the BBC, CNN and Al-Jazeera of being biased.
"They will be chased away [if they try] to give a second wind to the LTTE terrorists at a time when the security forces, at heavy cost, are dealing them the final blow," he was quoted as saying.
Mr Rajapaksa said the media organisations were sensationalising civilian hardships by playing video clips from Tamil Tiger websites.
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