Health Ministry Secretary Dr. H. A. P. Kahandaliyanage in a letter to the Head of the ICRC Sri Lanka requested him to work jointly with the Government in achieving the common objective of saving civilians and the sick and the needy from the clutches of terrorism enabling them to enjoy the freedom and the privileges afforded to all citizens in the rest of the country.

Dr. Kahandaliyanage’s letter to Mr. Castella was in response to a newspaper article (not of the Upali Group of Newapapers) quoting an ICRC allegation against the Government for the alleged plight of patients and civilians in the uncleared areas of Mullaitivu due to the risk involved as a result of fighting between the security forces and troops and lack of medical and other supplies.

The Health Secretary in his letter had drawn the attention of the ICRC to the fact that the Government is trying its best to protect the civilians and patients who are stranded due to the conflict.Therefore the Government expects the ICRC as a neutral organization to assist the Government to move the patients, medical staff and civilians so stranded,to reach the facilities made available by the Government in Vavuniya.

The Government requested the assistance of the ICRC to enable the trapped patients and civilians to reach the declared no fire zone of Kilinochchi or Vavuniya but said the ICRC on their own had decided that they should go to Puthumattalam, which is away from the declared safe area in Vavuniya.

"Therefore the responsibility for the present plight of these IDPs lies solely lies with the ICRC for having deviated from the best possible route arranged by the Government for evacuating the patients and medical staff from Puthukidiiruppu:" Dr..Kahandaliyanage had further said in his letter to the Mr.Castella.