Support Humanitarian Initiative By Religious Leaders

(November 28, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) "The ongoing military operations in Sri Lanka’s north continue to keep internally displaced persons and families and local residents in conditions of great danger and deprivation. The National Peace Council in collaboration with the World Conference of Religions for Peace and its Sri Lankan counterpart, the National Conference of Religions for Peace, recently organized an inter-religious conference in the religiously significant city of Anuradhapura to discuss possible religious initiatives to alleviate the plight of the trapped civilian population,” the National Peace Council said in a Press statement.

According to the Statement, “during the conference the pathetic situation of the affected civilian population was described in detail by the religious leaders who also pointed to the need to end terrorism and to find a just political solution to the ethnic conflict that has been at its root. The issue of inter religious conflict, particularly incidents of attacks on places of religious worship and the tensions arising out of it was also brought up. The religious leaders referred back to their religious traditions of peace making for the sake of suffering humanity, and their shared moral values and commitment to peace making.”

“As a concrete outcome of the conference, the religious leaders agreed to explore humanitarian initiatives to establish corridors of movement and safety zones for the affected people to be discussed with the conflicting parties. They proposed meeting with the President, Leader of the Opposition, other relevant political leaders and the LTTE. In the statement ratified by the conference, they expressed the hope that a multi-religious initiative to address the humanitarian crisis would open up new opportunities for change, and change of heart, which is the supreme realm of religion and spirituality. (See full text of statement below)

Governing Council: The National Peace Council is an independent and non partisan organisation that works towards a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. It has a vision of a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka in which the freedom, human rights and democratic rights of all the communities are respected. The policy of the National Peace Council is determined by its Governing Council of 20 members who are drawn from diverse walks of life and belong to all the main ethnic and religious communities in the country.
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Statement of the Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council of Sri Lanka

“Religious Leaders Offer to Intervene in Humanitarian Crisis”
Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka 23 November 2008

World religious leaders joined senior religious leaders from the North, East and South of Sri Lanka in a conference hosted by the Inter-religious Council of Sri Lanka-Religions for Peace in Anuradhapura on 23 November 2008. The conference was organized by the World Conference of Religions for Peace in partnership with Religions for Peace Sri Lanka and the National Peace Council. The Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council of Sri Lanka is the country’s most representative multi-religious body, presenting the multi-religious voice of the nation, offering the possibility of mediation, rejecting extremist tendencies, and educating the public on the positive, socially transformative power of religions and their cooperation.

The Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council of Sri Lanka has offered to facilitate discussions between the government and the LTTE for the creation of humanitarian corridor and non-military zones to be protected and overseen by local religious communities with the support of reputed international organisations, such as ICRC. Religious leaders are committed to utilizing their temples, mosques and churches and relevant networks to make these non-military zones accessible to internally displaced persons caught by the current military operation. Furthermore, the Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council requests the President to formally recognize the Council to be an official observer to the All Party Representative Conference (APRC) and to allow it to negotiate with the LTTE for the establishment of such “humanitarian non-military zones.”

Sri Lanka is faced with a serious humanitarian crisis in the northern Vanni region.Even international humanitarian workers have left the Vanni due to security concerns. In these circumstances, the situation of the civilians trapped in the war zones can be understood to be unbearable. There is a great fear that they will become victims of the fighting. Steps need to be taken to ensure that the civilian population trapped in the war zones do not become human shields. While some of the civilian population, especially those whose family members are combatants with the LTTE, may be voluntarily remaining in LTTE-controlled areas, it is reported that other civilians are not being permitted to leave by LTTE forces.

In such situations, international recognized human rights and humanitarian laws should be observed. Displaced persons have the right to return to their homes in the conflict zones or relocate to any other part of the country. Tragically, this has not been the reality for many displaced persons in Sri Lanka for many years. UN and humanitarian organisations have a legitimate and vital role to play in securing the lives of the populace. A democratic government that seeks reconciliation with all sections of its people for sustainable peace will prioritize the lives and security of its citizens whether they are living under government or rebel control.

At the present time, it is reported that Kilinochchi has become almost completely abandoned with the majority of its inhabitants having fled to the eastern part of the Wanni, temporarily reducing the problem of civilian casualties. However, we fear that problems will again arise in the aftermath of the fighting in Kilinochchi, if the war is carried further eastwards to Mullaitivu. At that point, there will be nowhere left for the civilian population to flee.International law must provide guidance for the course of action to be followed in the days to come.

We believe it is necessary for civil society organizations to voice their concern for those who have been displaced and who face the brunt of war in the north. As religious leaders, we urge the establishment of a humanitarian corridor in accordance with international law to enable the populations trapped in the war zones to freely move out if they decide to leave those areas. As religious leaders, we declare that we are prepared to step forward to both negotiate such a humanitarian corridor with the relevant parties, and to oversee the establishment of a mutually acceptable zone of peace in accordance with international law where the displaced may find shelter in security until they can be resettled in their homes.

Achievement of peace through a political solution that is acceptable to all communities is the goal toward which Sri Lanka should be striving. We believe that progress toward peace in the coming period will require an attitudinal shift, an evolution that its religious communities are trained to bring about. We also believe that our proposed multi religious initiative to address the humanitarian crisis would open up new opportunities for change, and change of heart, which is the supreme realm of religion and spirituality. - Sri Lanka Guardian