Claymore mine blast wounds 12 civilians in Lanka's east

Colombo, Feb 14 (UNI) At least 12 civilians were injured in a claymore mine attack by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels in the restive eastern Ampara district of Sri Lanka last night, the Defence Ministry said.

The civilians, mostly Muslims, were travelling in a van towards the central Kandy district from the east when the blast occurred.

''Five civilians were admitted to the Maha Oya Hospital and then transferred to the Mahiyangana Hospital. Seven of them were discharged after medical attention,'' the Defence Ministry said.

There has been no immediate reaction from the LTTE in this regard.

The incident occurred a few hours before the visiting British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Dr Kim Howells, undertook a fact-finding mission to the eastern Ampara district this morning.

''Dr Howells will travel to eastern Sri Lanka on February 14 and will meet government officials, representatives of local communities and visit projects funded by the British government,'' a statement from the British Embassy here said.

''The main purpose of his visit is to assess the impact of recent fighting on the civilian population and to reinforce the UK's strong support for a negotiated settlement to the conflict,'' the Embassy's statement said, adding that the visiting Minister was particularly keen to discuss what the international community could do to help create conditions to allow peace talks to resume during his three-day visit.

Prior to his arrival in Colombo last night, Dr Howells has advocated negotiated political settlement to the island nation's prolonged ethnic conflict and said a military victory for one side was ''very unlikely to produce a lasting political solution''.

''Our experience tells us that a 'war for peace' approach inevitably means more war, rather than peace. Violence comes at too high a price. It is ultimately the people who suffer, as human rights are eroded, the humanitarian situation deteriorates and mistrust between communities increase. This, in turn, damages Sri Lanka's image in the eyes of the world," he was quoted in the statement.

UNI