Indian medical aid on way for Sri Lanka's war displaced civilians

COLOMBO, March 6 -- A team of Indian medical officials with

urgently needed medicine will arrive in Sri Lanka next week to help the island's

war displaced civilians, the Indian high commission to Sri Lanka said here

Friday.

The high commission said the medical assistance would be coming next

Monday.

"They will provide humanitarian relief and emergency medical care to IDPs

(Internal Displaced Person) from the north. The medical team will comprise eight

experienced physicians and surgeons as well as para-medical staff and technical

staff. The team will also carry all necessary medical equipment and medicines

required by the emergency medical unit," the statement said.

Some 70,000 Tamil civilians are trapped in the battle zone of Mullaittivu,

the last Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) stronghold in the north.

The LTTE have faced criticism for holding the civilians against their

wills. They in turn have accused the government of indiscriminate shelling and

causing injuries to civilians.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has transported over

2000 sick and wounded civilians from Mullaittivu's battle zone to the eastern

port of Trincomalee.

The LTTE which led an three-decade old rebellion to set up a separate

homeland for the minority Tamil community in the north and east lost the Eastern

Province in 2007 and since the beginning of this year have lost all its main

locations in the north to the advancing troops.

More than 70,000 people have died in one of the world's longest running

armed insurgencies.