Civilians held hostage must be freed or rescued

"Like its international partners, Australia has encouraged the Sri Lankan Government to take steps to ensure the civilian population has confidence in the Government’s commitment to their protection. The Government of Australia statement concluded reminding the Government of Sri Lanka that the long-term security and prosperity of Sri Lanka will only be achieved through a political solution that meets the legitimate aspirations of all Sri Lankans."
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By Victor Karunairajan

(February 05, Toronto, Sri Lanka Guardian) There is a fast growing worldwide alarm and trepidation for civilian hostages held by the LTTE. Until such time a plan is worked out to have them released, the Government of Sri Lanka must order its Armed Forces to hold their fire. This is the time the United Nations must confer with Sri Lanka and explore the possibilities of a UN Peace Force to carry out such an operation. Time is fast running out for the innocent thousands who are obviously being used as human shields.

Whatever the situation be, no force or country should play politics with the lives of people, and in the Wanni such amounts to thousands; adults, young, elderly, children, sick and infirm. Never since Hitler’s gas chambers and Pol Pot’s reign of terror have such large numbers been exposed to such a nightmare that could end in a horrendous tragedy.

The tragic situation in Sri Lanka is that there are no LTTE representatives in a position to talk to the Government of Sri Lanka. The Tamil National Alliance Members of Parliament have lost that credibility especially after their critical reactions to the appeal made by the Co-chairs of the Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, the governments of two countries, Canada and Australia, new homelands for Sri Lankans especially Tamils who fled their country in the wake of communal riots and sought refuge, have today expressed their deep felt concerns at thousands of civilians held hostage by the LTTE surrounded by the Sri Lankan Forces.

People everywhere are anxious about 300,000 people of Wanni held hostage by the retreating forces of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam who have lost considerable territory to the advancing Sri Lankan Armed Forces. Governments of countries where there are people of Sri Lanka domiciled as citizens have urged the Sri Lankan Diaspora to add their weight to ensure civilian lives are protected.

Apart from tackling these immediate concerns for the lives of civilians, this is also opportune moment for the Government of Sri Lanka to embark without any delay on a political programme that will ensure the legitimate aspirations of all Sri Lankans. There should be no more filibustering operations or compromising with forces of racism and religious bigotry. The lovely island of Sri Lanka has suffered enough because politicians have gone corrupt and astray and have abused the rights of the sovereign citizens not just the Tamils alone.

Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Lawrence Cannon, reacting to the highly worrying situation in Sri Lanka issued the following statement:

“Canada calls for the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to declare and honour an immediate ceasefire to allow full, safe and unhindered access; the evacuation of the sick and wounded; and the delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance to civilians.

"Canada endorses the statement released yesterday by the co-chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference on Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka (Norway, Japan, the United States and the European Union). The statement proposes conditions to prevent further civilian casualties and human suffering and to achieve a just and lasting political solution.

"Canada strongly condemns recent shelling attacks on the hospital in Puthukkudiyiruppu and firing into the government-designated safe area. All efforts must be made to avoid civilian casualties.

"We continue to believe that the conflict cannot be resolved militarily and can only be settled through a durable political solution that meets the legitimate aspirations of all the people of Sri Lanka. Therefore, Canada supports the co-chairs' call for the LTTE to discuss with the Government of Sri Lanka the terms for ending hostilities, including the renunciation of violence, the laying down of arms, and the acceptance of the Government of Sri Lanka's offer of amnesty, as the first step toward an inclusive political dialogue that can contribute to a lasting peace."

The Government of Australia expressing similar concerns for the civilians caught in the conflict and continuing considerable casualties among them and as an immediate response to the situation has announced a contribution of $5 million dollars in additional humanitarian assistance to those affected in the north of Sri Lanka.

This assistance is expressly for the purpose of ensuring that civilians caught up in the conflict have access to basic goods such as medical supplies, shelter, water, and sanitation. Australia will deliver this assistance through the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations and non-governmental organizations.

The Australian Government has called on all those involved in the fighting to make protecting civilians an absolute priority:

* All parties must respect “safe areas” nominated by the Sri Lankan Government and not fire into or out of these zones, or in the vicinity of the PTK hospital or any other medical facility

* All parties must ensure medical evacuations are facilitated and life-saving humanitarian aid is delivered frequently and safely

* All parties must ensure that civilians can leave the conflict zone safely.

Australia has also called on the Sri Lankan Government and LTTE to declare a temporary no-fire period to allow for the evacuation of civilians.

The Australian statement specifically emphasized that the LTTE should allow civilians caught in the conflict zone to leave and requested the Sri Lankan community in Australia to add its weight to this call to help ensure that civilian life is protected.

Australia lent support to the call of the Tokyo Co-Chairs (Norway, Japan, United States and European Union) for the LTTE to discuss with the Government of Sri Lanka how to end hostilities, including: the laying down of arms; the renunciation of violence; acceptance of the Government of Sri Lanka’s offer of amnesty; and participating as a political party in a process to achieve a just and lasting political solution.

It also welcomed the joint statement by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UK Foreign Secretary Miliband in support of the Tokyo Co-Chairs. Like its international partners, Australia has encouraged the Sri Lankan Government to take steps to ensure the civilian population has confidence in the Government’s commitment to their protection. The statement concluded reminding the Government of Sri Lanka that the long-term security and prosperity of Sri Lanka will only be achieved through a political solution that meets the legitimate aspirations of all Sri Lankans.

ENDS -The writer can be reached at victor@srilankaguardian.org -Sri Lanka Guardian