Government Creates a New no-fire zone along the Coast
The Sri Lanka Defence authorities frustrated by what it called the sabotage of the Civilian Safety Zone by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) declared a new Civilian Safety Zone along the Mulaitivu coast. The military authorities said they are opening up this new zone in response “to the worsening plight of thousands of civilians held hostage” by the Tamil Tigers in the north-eastern Mullaitivu district.
The defence Ministry said , ““The new 12 km long safe region demarcated along the Mullaitivu western coast is expected to facilitate flow of humanitarian aid and medical supplies for the people stranded with LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam). 
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has duly been informed of the new safe zone.” Although on January 21 the Sri Lanka government declared a no fire zone to ease the exodus of Tamil civilians the LTTE moved their artillery guns into the area and forced people out of the area preventing them from going to the government occupied areas.
Meanwhile correspondents of the state owned ITN reported that despite the continued shooting by the LTTE more than 4000 Tamil civilians reached Sri lanka government controlled areas .
By Walter Jayawardhana
