Parents of POWs meet Journalists

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 March 2000, 08:03 GMT]
"The head of the LTTE Political section, Thamilchelvan, informed us that if a government mediator from the South can bring proposals acceptable to the LTTE, the LTTE is prepared to free the remaining prisoners in custody," said S.A.Ranbanda, parent of a Prisoner of War (POW), when the parents met journalists yesterday afternoon in Colombo, after returning from Vanni.

After meeting their POW children who were in a hunger-strike in LTTE's custody in Vanni, the parents and relatives of the POWs reached Colombo at 2.30pm yesterday.

The parents who were escorted by the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), talked to the journalists at the offices of the ICRC.

"When we went to Vanni, our children were on a hunger strike and were taking only liquid diet. Our children agreed to suspend the hunger strike on our request. The Government must now come forward to free the rest of the POWs," said a mother.

"The Tigers looked after us very well. They gave us good food. Our government must take steps to free the remaining 11 soldiers from the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) and 12 civilians who are in the custody of the LTTE," said another parent.

Harsha Gunawardene, the spokesperson for ICRC expressed satisfaction that their efforts in securing the release of some POWs have been successful.