Troops at last Tiger den,Govt says ceasefire idea ‘hilarious’

The town’s capture would be another devastating blow to the guerrillas,who controlled a wide swathe of the north less than a year ago. Aid groups estimate as many as 200,000 civilians are trapped in the shrinking rebel area,and Human Rights Watch said last week 2,000 have been killed in recent months.

On Monday,UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a halt to the fighting and for political talks to end the conflict. In a letter to the United Nations on Monday,the LTTE also appealed for a ceasefire but said it would not lay down its weapons.

But the government made it clear on Tuesday that it had no plans to stop its offensive against the rebels. “It has been the modus operandi of the LTTE to pressurise the international community and cease the current humanitarian operations,” Rambukwella said.

“The international community (should) pressurise the LTTE to surrender and release civilians,” he said.

“The country and the world are quite aware of the nature of the LTTE. It is a ploy used by the LTTE over two decades when it is about to be militarily defeated. Every time the LTTE is on the verge of defeat and losing weapons and equipment,then it calls a truce,” Rambukwella told the state owned Daily News.

Rambukwella referred to the LTTE’s letter and said,“LTTE political head B Nadesan,in the first place,has to understand what a ceasefire is. It’s hilarious”.