New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS) India Wednesday unveiled its intention to play a proactive role in Sri Lanka by asking the Tamil Tigers to give up their weapons and said it was ready to work with Colombo to evacuate civilians caught up in the war zone.

Under pressure to act following widespread reports of civilian suffering in fighting between the military and the Tigers, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Lok Sabha that India was also ready to assist in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Sri Lanka`s war-hit northeast.

Speaking even as a section of MPs from Tamil Nadu interrupted him raising slogans like `Stop the war`, Mukherjee outlined at length the government`s thinking on Sri Lanka, where the military has almost overwhelmed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

`As the conflict enters what may be the final phase of military operations, the LTTE would best serve the interest of the Tamils by immediately releasing all civilians (in its zone) and laying down arms,` he said.

In one of the most critical statements ever against the LTTE, Mukherjee recalled that it was an outlawed group in India and accused the Tigers of having `done much damage to the Tamil community`.

`India is ready to facilitate the evacuation of civilians trapped in the area of conflict, working with the government of Sri Lanka and the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) who would take responsibility for the security, screening and rehabilitation of these internally displaced persons,` he said.

Mukherjee was referring to thousands of Tamil civilians who have been trapped in a small area in Mullaitivu district where the military has ringed the LTTE guerrillas