Prevent civil war in Lanka, CPM tells UPA govt

New Delhi, Aug 17: Communist Party of India (Marxist) has urged the Indian government to use all diplomatic and political channels to ensure that Sri Lanka does not slide into a full scale civil war.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI (M) urged the Lankan government and the LTTE to observe restraint and explore avenues for resumption of negotiations.

The party condemned the air force bombing in Mullaitivu district that killed several school students and said the number of civilian casualties was growing.

Hundreds of lives have been lost in the outbreak of hostilities in the northern and eastern region. Thousands of people have been displaced in the Jaffna peninsula, the statement said.

''The Sri Lankan government should immediately halt aerial bombing of civilian areas in the north-eastern province,'' the Polit Bureau said adding the LTTE has aggravated the situation by disrupting water supplies near Trincomalee.' The ceasefire should be adhered to in letter and spirit by both sides, it added.

UNI