The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has contradicted Sri Lankan government’s claim that it (government) always offered security guarantees to ICRC. Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe on Saturday assured that the government was ever ready to provide the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with a security guarantee but LTTE’s reluctance had led to the temporary closing of the Uilankulam entry/exit point.

Samarasinghe said the government was willing to give a guarantee to the ICRC that there would not be any hindrance from the government side when the ICRC resumed operations at the Uilankulam point.

"It was the LTTE which caused the problem through mortar attack and it forced the ICRC staff to withdraw owing to security concerns. The government forces were not involved in this incident. The government is guaranteeing the ICRC that it will not hinder ICRC officials in their humanitarian work," Samarasinghe further said.

But contradicting this claim by the government an ICRC spokesperson said they had so far not received any such security guarantees from the government, or the LTTE still.

The Uilankulam entry/exit point was closed on September 3 after the ICRC pulled out from the point on security grounds, following the heavy exchange of artillery fire.

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