COLOMBO, DEC 7: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam today appealed to the United Nations to resolve Sri Lanka's ethnic issue peacefully through a third party mediation.

The appeal was made indirectly when "thousands of Tamils" handed over petitions addressed to UN Chief Kofi Annan and US President Bill Clinton to LTTE leaders at a public rally held by the separatist militant organisation in areas under its control.

``The Tamil people have asked Annan to help to stop the war in the north-east, by bringing about a peaceful resolution without preconditions placed on the LTTE and with third party mediation,'' the LTTE's London office said in a statement here just three days after after a devastating counter strike against army in which over 150 soldiers were killed.

The four-page document also sought the world body's help in bringing about ``Tamil people's legitimate democratic rights.''

LTTE chief Prabhakaran had last month made a blistering attack against the Kumaratunga government rejecting its peace package, involving autonomy proposals for Tamils.

Another petition, addressed to Clinton, wanted the recent ban imposed by the American administration by listing LTTE as terrorist organisation to be lifted.

``There was no justification to outlaw the LTTE, an organisation which is sincerely struggling for the democratic rights of the Tamil people,'' the text of the letter read, according to LTTE's statement.

It said it was unreasonable on US' part to ``outcast' the LTTE opposing the `Sinhala colonisation' even when Washington was supporting and strengthening Israel's Independence, it said.

``People's petition asks America to remove the LTTE from its list and to recognise it as the Tamil peoples representative,'' it added.

The rally was held in eastern Batticaloa-Vaharai areas during the LTTE's celebrations of `Heroes' Week' towards the end of last month.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.