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Omanthai reopens after temporary shutdown
Friday, 19 October 2007 - 12:03 PM SL Time
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The military and the LTTE yesterday gave an assurance to the ICRC that there would be no further fighting near the Omanthai crossing point. Earlier, fighting had erupted leading to the closure of the crossing point -- completely cutting off the Vanni from the rest of the country.
Following security guarantees from the two sides, the ICRC said
it would resume its normal duties at Omanthai this morning, thus enabling normal civilian and humanitarian operations to proceed after being suspended yesterday.
`Following a meeting with the LTTE and the army, the ICRC received security guarantees to resume its duties at Omanthai,` ICRC spokesman Davide Vignatti told the Daily Mirror.
LTTE controlled areas in the Vanni were in danger of being completely shut off from the rest of the country, indefinitely, after the ICRC announced it had withdrawn from the Omanthai entry/exit point as a result of a security related incident which occurred in the area on Wednesday evening.
The crossing point, situated along the A9 highway, which was kept open 5 days a week to facilitate civilian and humanitarian assistance, was the only remaining entry route open to the Vanni after the closure of the Uyliankulam route last month, and also Muhamalai, since fresh fighting erupted in the north.
The Defence Ministry said that there was an attempted security breach by the LTTE on Wednesday evening when they attempted to advance past defence lines north of Uyliankulam, in Mannar. `Troops engaged heavy artillery shell attacks, causing LTTE elements to flee deep into non-liberated Vanni patches in the Adampan area,` the Defence Ministry said.
Last August the ICRC announced that, at the request of the government and the LTTE, it had had agreed to extend its presence at the Omanthai crossing point in Vavuniya district to five days a week.
In June, the organization reduced its presence at the crossing points to three days a week, following a number of security breaches that had jeopardized the lives of civilians crossing the line and also the lives of the ICRC personnel. The ICRC has been present at the Lines since 2002. This year, an average of 25,000 people and 4,000 vehicles have passed through the crossing points each month.
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elephanthouse
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 403
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19 Oct 2007 05:44:47 GMT Report for Abuse
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Good news for the innocent civilians.
At least a minimum of common sense prevails, particularly on the LTTE side which had no interest in completely isolating itself from the rest of the world.
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Magnum357
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 57
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19 Oct 2007 05:49:39 GMT Report for Abuse
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Why doesn't the ICRC once and for all get the hell out of the place rather than going and coming back. If going GO if staying STAY.
Edited By - Magnum357 - 19 Oct 2007 05:54:23 GMT |
bolanda
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 147
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20 Oct 2007 04:29:46 GMT Report for Abuse
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Oman-thai , never heard of ....
Must be somewhere in the middle east...
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