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Indian officials leave for Colombo for talks on trapped civilians

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, April 24, IRNA - India's Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and National Security Adviser M. K. Narayanan Friday left for Colombo to talks with Sri Lankan government to protect tens of thousands of civilians trapped in the war.

Narayanan and Menon, who are expected to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa, will convey India's concerns to the Sri Lankan government.

The announcement to send Narayanan and Menon was made by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee after a meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, second in as many days, to review the situation in Sri Lanka's north where thousands of civilians are trapped in the conflict between the advancing army and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

"The Government of India has been monitoring with deep concern and anxiety the evolving situation in Sri Lanka, in particular the condition of Tamil civilians in conflict zones."

Meanwhile, India has also started reaching out to important countries of the world over Sri Lanka issue, with Mukherjee talking to his UK counterpart David Miliband and planning to talk to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Earlier on Thursday, India's envoy in Colombo Alok Prasad, who has been called for consultations, briefed Mukherjee and Menon on the latest situation in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, India has dispatched nearly 40,000 assortment of packets as aid for the trapped civilians escaping from the northern war zone in Lanka, besides already sending medical supplies and even setting up a hospital for the Tamil refugees displaced by the war.

"The packets contain more of kitchenware and utensils this time," official sources said adding the Sri Lankan government has made arrangements for shipping enough of food items for the displaced persons.

Sources said that the food packets, which are likely to reach soon, would be distributed as early as possible after the completion of official formalities.

A shipload of 40,000 packets for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the north have been dispatched after discussions with the Sri Lankan officials.

In November 2008, India had sent 1,680 tons of essential supplies in the form of 80,000 assortment of packets.