Relatives meet fasting POWs

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 February 2000, 19:00 GMT]
The relatives of the POWs on a hunger strike reached Puthukudiyiruppu around 7.45 pm this evening, said sources.

Dignitaries of the Liberation Tigers welcomed the relatives in a short ceremony, but the relatives were taken to see the POWs immediately after.

The Liberation Tigers had made arrangements for the relatives to stay in the same building where the POWs are conducting their fast. Sources report that the relatives and the hunger strikers greeted each other with tears and hugs.

The Liberation Tigers allowed the relatives and the POWs to stay together for as long as they desired.

"Arrangements have been made for the families of the hunger strikers to stay with the POWs for two days," said Harsha Gunawardene, the ICRC spokesman.

Mr. Gunawardene also expressed the thanks of the ICRC to all the parties that had worked together to facilitate the meeting between the POWs on the hunger strike and their relatives.

There is no news on whether the POWs gave up their hunger strike after seeing their relatives.