UN, US, UK press for Pause in fighting
UNITED NATIONS (AFP)--The United Nations, backed by the U.K. and the United States, on Thursday pressed for a "humanitarian pause" in fighting in Sri Lanka and blamed the Tamil Tiger rebels for the plight of trapped civilians.
United Nations humanitarian chief John Holmes told reporters after an informal U.N. Security Council briefing that his main concern "is the civilian population trapped in the combat area and not being allowed out by the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam."
He added that he was pressing for urgent humanitarian access to the combat area in northern Sri Lanka.
"We suggested the idea of some kind of humanitarian pause to allow that to happen and to allow the civilian population to leave," he said. "This is an extremely worrying situation, and therefore our first appeal is to the LTTE to let the civilians out in a safe and orderly fashion."
Rosemary DiCarlo, a senior U.S. delegate to the U.N., also voiced her government's "deep concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka" and criticized the LTTE, noting that it is viewed by Washington as a terrorist organization.
"We certainly condemn the fact that they (LTTE) use civilians as human shields," she said. "We call on them to lay down their arms, renounce violence and negotiate with the government."
DiCarlo also chided Colombo for continuing to shell areas heavily populated by civilians.
She said Washington had urged Colombo to cease the shelling and had received promises. "But we need to see results," she added, urging the Sri Lankan government to "pay more attention to protecting the civilian population."
Her U.K. counterpart John Sawers also blamed the LTTE for the plight of civilians in the north.
"It is the LTTE which is preventing them from doing so (leaving the combat area)," he said. "We condemn their action in that regard. We call on both parties to respect humanitarian law, cease use of heavy weapons and to do everything to protect civilian lives."
Sri Lanka's U.N. ambassador, H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, said his government shares concern about the fate of civilians, and noted that Colombo had declared a 48- hour ceasefire period.
He accused the LTTE of preventing the civilians from leaving.
"If the LTTE is ready to let them go today, my government will agree to a modality, a pause," the envoy said. "The quickest way to end the conflict is for the LTTE to lay down their arms and let these people move."
In Colombo, a government minister meanwhile said the Tamil Tiger rebels had lost more of their territory in northern Sri Lanka and their total defeat was now "imminent."
Government forces have confined LTTE fighters to an area of 21 square kilometers, most of which is a government-declared safe zone, said Keheliya Rambukwella, minister for foreign employment and the government's defense spokesman.
"Therefore, it is apparent that the LTTE are now at the imminent brink of defeat," he said.
At the height of their power in the mid-1990s, the Tigers controlled more than two-thirds of the Indian Ocean island's coastline and a third of the total land area.
The collapse of the Tigers began two years ago, and accelerated after the government pulled out of a Norwegian-brokered truce in January 2008.
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i think we need to have international probes on human rights violations by both waring parties (Tigers and the Government) so we will know who is committing crime. I know HUMAN RIGHT is two words, which some people do like to hear. I against any kind of war crime regardless of who commits.
Posted By: raj
It is really shocking that these international bodies fail to understand the real issue here, is it due to their stupidity or for reasons known only to them. LTTE is using the masses as a human shield. At the moment at least some civilians, around 55000, have escaped from LTTE. Any pause in fighting will only give LTTE a window to reorganize and ensure no more civilians escape their terror.
Posted By: SW
We will definitely pause "it" as soon as US stops whatever they are doing in Iraq & Afganistan and UN starts talking about what coalition forces DID in Iraq & Afghanistan - Deal ?
Posted By: Rajiva
Noble idea, but not credible. Had these owners of humanitarian industry taken the same stand during the Israel- Gaza war there is a justification of the concern. I believe that only here in Sri Lanka there are human beings trapped in a war zone, but in Gaza people are probably not considered humans that may possibly be the reason for the deafening silence during the conflict. HRW and AI are now talking about an inquiry in to incidents. That is after the event. What a joke????? UN failed to do anything in Gaza. UK and US stayed mum. I wonder there is a different meaning in dictionaries for the word “HYPOCRISY?
Posted By: RanjithT
Why not set an example by implementing the same policy in Iraq??
Posted By: Rupasinghe
UNITED NATIONS (AFP)--The United Nations, backed by the U.K. and the United States, on Thursday pressed for a "humanitarian pause" in fighting in Sri Lanka and blamed the Tamil Tiger rebels for the plight of trapped civilians.
United Nations humanitarian chief John Holmes told reporters after an informal U.N. Security Council briefing that his main concern "is the civilian population trapped in the combat area and not being allowed out by the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam."
He added that he was pressing for urgent humanitarian access to the combat area in northern Sri Lanka.
"We suggested the idea of some kind of humanitarian pause to allow that to happen and to allow the civilian population to leave," he said. "This is an extremely worrying situation, and therefore our first appeal is to the LTTE to let the civilians out in a safe and orderly fashion."
Rosemary DiCarlo, a senior U.S. delegate to the U.N., also voiced her government's "deep concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka" and criticized the LTTE, noting that it is viewed by Washington as a terrorist organization.
"We certainly condemn the fact that they (LTTE) use civilians as human shields," she said. "We call on them to lay down their arms, renounce violence and negotiate with the government."
DiCarlo also chided Colombo for continuing to shell areas heavily populated by civilians.
She said Washington had urged Colombo to cease the shelling and had received promises. "But we need to see results," she added, urging the Sri Lankan government to "pay more attention to protecting the civilian population."
Her U.K. counterpart John Sawers also blamed the LTTE for the plight of civilians in the north.
"It is the LTTE which is preventing them from doing so (leaving the combat area)," he said. "We condemn their action in that regard. We call on both parties to respect humanitarian law, cease use of heavy weapons and to do everything to protect civilian lives."
Sri Lanka's U.N. ambassador, H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, said his government shares concern about the fate of civilians, and noted that Colombo had declared a 48- hour ceasefire period.
He accused the LTTE of preventing the civilians from leaving.
"If the LTTE is ready to let them go today, my government will agree to a modality, a pause," the envoy said. "The quickest way to end the conflict is for the LTTE to lay down their arms and let these people move."
In Colombo, a government minister meanwhile said the Tamil Tiger rebels had lost more of their territory in northern Sri Lanka and their total defeat was now "imminent."
Government forces have confined LTTE fighters to an area of 21 square kilometers, most of which is a government-declared safe zone, said Keheliya Rambukwella, minister for foreign employment and the government's defense spokesman.
"Therefore, it is apparent that the LTTE are now at the imminent brink of defeat," he said.
At the height of their power in the mid-1990s, the Tigers controlled more than two-thirds of the Indian Ocean island's coastline and a third of the total land area.
The collapse of the Tigers began two years ago, and accelerated after the government pulled out of a Norwegian-brokered truce in January 2008.
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Comments
i think we need to have international probes on human rights violations by both waring parties (Tigers and the Government) so we will know who is committing crime. I know HUMAN RIGHT is two words, which some people do like to hear. I against any kind of war crime regardless of who commits.
It is really shocking that these international bodies fail to understand the real issue here, is it due to their stupidity or for reasons known only to them. LTTE is using the masses as a human shield. At the moment at least some civilians, around 55000, have escaped from LTTE. Any pause in fighting will only give LTTE a window to reorganize and ensure no more civilians escape their terror.
We will definitely pause "it" as soon as US stops whatever they are doing in Iraq & Afganistan and UN starts talking about what coalition forces DID in Iraq & Afghanistan - Deal ?
Noble idea, but not credible. Had these owners of humanitarian industry taken the same stand during the Israel- Gaza war there is a justification of the concern. I believe that only here in Sri Lanka there are human beings trapped in a war zone, but in Gaza people are probably not considered humans that may possibly be the reason for the deafening silence during the conflict. HRW and AI are now talking about an inquiry in to incidents. That is after the event. What a joke????? UN failed to do anything in Gaza. UK and US stayed mum. I wonder there is a different meaning in dictionaries for the word “HYPOCRISY?
Why not set an example by implementing the same policy in Iraq??
_____________________________________________
I always doubt the END of war.
It is just not possible.
I always doubt the END of war.
It is just not possible.
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