COLOMBO, Jan 30: The Sri Lankan government has clarified that President Mahinda Rajapakse’s assurance of ‘safe passage’ to Tamil civilians trapped in the war-zone in the north, did not mean that a ceasefire had been ordered.

“There is no ceasefire,” said Minister for Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe at a briefing here on Friday.

Asked how civilians would be able to move about and be sure of a safe passage if the guns were still booming, the minister said since the armed forces were getting nearer and nearer to human settlements, the civilians would be able to cross over easily if only the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) let them leave.

Prof Rajiva Wijesinghe, secretary to the ministry, said since there was no fighting on the eastern side of Mullaitivu district presently, people could walk along the sea coast without fear.He further said that the Papal Nuncio in Sri Lanka had been requested to use the church to allay safety concerns.

“The priests who are with the people here have the moral authority to do so,” added Minister Samarasinghe.

On Thursday, President Rajapakse had said: “I urge the LTTE, within the next 48 hours, to allow free movement of civilians to ensure their safety and security. For all those civilians, I assure a safe passage to a secure environment.”

Mr Samarasinghe said that this had been incorrectly interpreted as declaration of a ceasefire.

Welcoming the offer of safe passage to civilians, Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told newspersons in New Delhi on Thursday: “We understand that necessary instructions to enable the implementation of these steps have been issued.”