UN says it will carry 60 truck loads of food to north next week

The UN spokesman, Gordon Weiss, told the BBC that a convoy of sixty trucks, accompanied by their staff, would carry food to the LTTE-controlled Wanni region early next week.

The food aid would be the first of its kind since the government ordered international aid agencies out of the area two weeks ago, saying it could not guarantee the safety of their staff because of increased fighting near the rebel-held town of Kilinochchi.

BTF criticise Britain

Mr Weiss said they were in discussions with the government and Tamil Tiger rebels to send more food trucks in the coming weeks for the nearly two-hundred-thousand displaced civilians.

We call on both parties to respect their obligations under International Humanitarian Law to enable free access for humanitarian agencies and the protection of civilians affected by the conflict British statement on Sri Lankan conflict

Meanwhile, the British Tamil Forum (BTF) has criticised the British government for not condemning Sri Lanka government's human rights violations.

After a meeting between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and British PM Gordon Brown in New York, the British government has expressed 'acute concern' on the situation in the north.

In a statement, the BTF said the failure of the British authorities to condemn Sri Lankan government's abuses has let the British Tamils down.

"We call on both parties to respect their obligations under International Humanitarian Law to enable free access for humanitarian agencies and the protection of civilians affected by the conflict," a statement by the British ministers issued on 26 September said.