Sri Lanka should seek a political solution with the Tamils to stop another generation turning to terrorism, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says.
Sri Lanka's military declared a final victory on Monday in its three-decade conflict with the Tamil Tigers, after routing the remnants of the rebel army and killing its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.
A political solution was needed to end the conflict to stop another generation of Tamils taking up arms and resorting to terrorist tactics such as suicide bombings, Mr Smith said.
"You don't want to turn another young generation of Tamils in Sri Lanka into another generation of cadres who are only interested in terrorist activity," he told ABC Television.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians in the conflict zone needed to be treated in accordance with international humanitarian principles.
"The challenge now is can we help the Sri Lankan government, the Sri Lankan people achieve an enduring, lasting peace," Mr Smith said.
Tensions in Australia's Sri Lankan community simmered on Sunday, with acid poured over the faces of two sleeping students in Sydney just hours after brawls involving rival ethnic groups.
Mr Smith said it was "a terrible incident", and urged the Australian Sri Lankan community to exercise restraint.
When asked if Tamil terrorism could spread to Australia, Mr Smith pointed out that recent protests against Sri Lankan army incursions in the north of the island were peaceful.
Sydney Morning Herald
Sri Lanka's military declared a final victory on Monday in its three-decade conflict with the Tamil Tigers, after routing the remnants of the rebel army and killing its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.
A political solution was needed to end the conflict to stop another generation of Tamils taking up arms and resorting to terrorist tactics such as suicide bombings, Mr Smith said.
"You don't want to turn another young generation of Tamils in Sri Lanka into another generation of cadres who are only interested in terrorist activity," he told ABC Television.
Hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians in the conflict zone needed to be treated in accordance with international humanitarian principles.
"The challenge now is can we help the Sri Lankan government, the Sri Lankan people achieve an enduring, lasting peace," Mr Smith said.
Tensions in Australia's Sri Lankan community simmered on Sunday, with acid poured over the faces of two sleeping students in Sydney just hours after brawls involving rival ethnic groups.
Mr Smith said it was "a terrible incident", and urged the Australian Sri Lankan community to exercise restraint.
When asked if Tamil terrorism could spread to Australia, Mr Smith pointed out that recent protests against Sri Lankan army incursions in the north of the island were peaceful.
Sydney Morning Herald
