At a press conference today, UNICEF's Representative, Mr Philippe Duamelle made the following statement on the situation in the Vanni.

"We are very concerned for the safety of the civilian population in the Vanni.

At the moment we have a very large number of people, including tens of thousands of children, trapped in a fast shrinking area.

They have poor access to shelter, health care, and water and sanitation, and as the conflict lines get closer to them they are more and more exposed to the fighting.

While every effort must be made by the Government and the LTTE to avoid any civilian casualties, the best thing for these people is that the LTTE allows them to move freely and enter a safe area where they can receive appropriate support.

I call upon the LTTE to meet its responsibilities and guarantee freedom of movement to the civilian population in the Vanni."

For further information, please contact :

James Elder

Tel: +94 777416742