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Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 4.55 GMT |
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Defence Sec. tells intl. organizations to be mindful of the responsibility cast upon them
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Some of the international agencies should be
mindful of the responsibility cast on them
in disseminating information to the world at
large, said Defence Secretary Gotabhaya
Rajapaksa during a meeting with the UN
officials in Colombo yesterday.
The Defence Secretary maintained that the
casualties caused by the LTTE are
under-reported. The surge of civilians
leaving the conflict zone, numbering in
excess of 20,000, are encouraging even
though the LTTE regrettably maintains a
hostile approach on the exodus of civilians.
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama
yesterday called a meeting with Heads of UN
Agencies based in Colombo with the view to
discussing all issues of mutual interest
regarding the protection of civilians in
uncleared areas.
The UN officials appreciated arrangements
made by the government of Sri Lanka to
receive the IDPs and agreed to work closely
with the government in this regard.
Issues arising out of the LTTE holding
civilians from leaving the conflict zone and
the discrepancies pertaining to reported
casualty figures were discussed and it was
agreed that the Government and UN Agencies
would work within a spirit of cooperation to
assess more accurately the needs of the
civilians and the measures taken for their
protection by the government.
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