Jaffna Evacuees Arrive Safely in Colombo Via Trincomalee

ICRC Evacuates More than 150 Jaffna Expats and Foreign Aid Workers

27 August 2006 (New Delhi)

More than 150 people, mostly foreign passport holders and foreign aid workers, evacuated from the Jaffna peninsula by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have arrived safely in the capital, Colombo.




They were among 161 persons who had travelled overnight from Jaffna to the eastern port of Trincomalee onboard a passenger ship flying the ICRC flag. Most of these were then taken on ICRC buses to Colombo.

Fighting in Jaffna that started on August 11, has cut off the peninsula from the rest of the island nation. The road route to the region that passes through rebel territory has been closed.

Civilian movement through the airport at Pallali and the Kankesanthurai had been severely restricted because of lack of security gurantees from either side.

ICRC officials said they were happy with the success of the evacuation effort and would soon undertake more such trips to bring out other stranded people in Jaffna.

There are over 800 foreign passport holders in Jaffna. Many of these have listed themselves to be evaculated out with their dependents from jaffna.

"It was possible because the parties to the conflict gave us the necessary security guarantees.We are in touch with both sides to discuss carrying out further evacuations from the Jaffna peninsula in the near future." a spokesman for the ICRC said.

Meanwhile, the unloading of a cargo ship flying thse ICRC flag continues in Point Pedro on the Jaffna peninsula.The vessel is carrying 1,500 tonnes of food and medicine provided by the government and the Worlds Food Programme.