The German Bundestag parliamentary protocol on Sri Lanka’s crisis

By Lalith Ganhewa
Sri Lanka Guardian's correspondent in Germany

(May 15, Berlin, Sri Lanka Guardian) The German Federal Government unanimously passed a motion demanding an immediate ceasefire between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on the 7th of May at the Bundestag (German Parliament).

“It should be possible to stop this odious war successfully” said Jürgen Klimke of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU). ”The weapons must remain silent”, said Johannes Jung of the Social Democratic Party (SPD). “The Government of the South Asian country should also be pushed to cooperate with the states and organizations in responding to the evacuation of civilians from combat zones involved. Everything else is a heinous game with people," said Harald Leibrecht of the Free Democratic Party (FDP). Michael Leutert of the Leftist Party said: “It is violence, with no regard for the civilian population”, and Kerstin Müller of the Green Party called for an immediate "humanitarian ceasefire".


As announced in our yesterday’s article “German Bundestag passed a Resolution on Sri Lanka", the Sri Lanka Guardian today publishes the English translation of the full parliamentary debate at the German Bundestag on Sri Lanka.

Here the full English translation of the German parliamentary protocol

The English translation of the German parliamentary protocol

Bundestag Discussion on the Motion „Prevent humanitarian Disaster in Sri Lanka” introduced by the CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP and Bündnis 90/DIE GRÜNEN party groups in the German Bundestag, 07th May 2009

Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt:

I call up topic No. 19: Discussion of the motion by the party groups CDU/CSU,
SPD, FDP und BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN

Prevent humanitarian Disaster in Sri Lanka
– Printed Matter 16/12869 –

The debate is scheduled for half an hour. –

I do not hear any objection. Then this is thus decided. I open the discussion. As first speaker I call up Johannes Jung for the SPD party group.

(Applause from the SPD)

Johannes Jung (Karlsruhe) (SPD):

Madam President! Honourable ladies and gentlemen! In Sri Lanka gruesome scenes take place, and maybe the actual disaster is still to happen. The violent conflict fought for 25 years between the government and the so-called Liberation Tigers seems to enter the military final phase. An immediate humanitarian ceasefire, as Foreign Minister demands it, is therefore our most urgent demand.

(Applause from the SPD as well as from parliamentarians of CDU/CSU and the FDP)

Sri Lanka is one of those paradox areas in the world, in which, on the one hand, a war takes place – with until now approximately 70 000 victims – in which, on the other hand, money is made with tourism; according to evaluations 400 million US$ in the past year. It is a well know fact that the fighting concentrates meanwhile on a relatively small area in the Northeast. As always it is the civilians standing in the line of fire. This is the case especially now. The number of severely injured persons rises every day. In the war area, the humanitarian situation is disastrous, a supply of water, food and medicine does virtually not exist. Assistance can only be done from outside. Therefore we demand the complete cooperation of the parties in war the humanitarian supply and evacuation of the civilian population. We know about the difficulties of implementing such demands. However, I believe that it is necessary to make this demand – in the sense of humanity and in the sense of humanitarian international laws.

(Applause from SPD and CDU/CSU as well as from parliamentarians of FDP and BÜNDNIS
90/DIE GRÜNEN)

There is a danger, that reception camps for refugees become long-term institutions in order to be able to better control the Tamil population there. Therefore, the government of Sri Lanka has to everything to make the return of the refugees to their home regions possible. In a common motion by CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, the situation is evaluated in the right way, and the right demands are made. I do not want to explain those demands in detail, but emphasize some points less strongly observed by the public. At this points, it should be said that the reporting in the German media in the past weeks and months was basically very good and drew a sugarcoated, highly informed image of the situation in Sri Lanka and the backgrounds. Thus, the broad public is able to get quite good information.

One of the points I want to highlight, as they do not play a role it actually should play in the reporting, is the situation of the children, which as so-called as unaccompanied minor refugees are totally on their own. The situation of those unaccompanied minor refugees must especially alarm us. They are strongly endangered by maltreatment and misuse. They should urgently be registered, in order to make a return to their families and relatives possible at some time in the future. We in Germany very well know the debate about such children – in many cases simple cases coming up under simple conditions – and know about the difficulty.

Additionally, there is a great number of child solders among the fighters of the so-called Liberation Tigers- They are victims and perpetrators at the same time. They – it must be assumed – mostly heavily traumatized. According to the Paris Principles of February 2007, for former child soldiers, according to the UN Convention on the Right of the Children, the welfare of the child must be in the foreground.

(Applause from SPD, CDU/CSU and FDP)

Former child soldiers are first and foremost victims. Court proceedings must be in accordance with the UN Convention on the Right of the Children.

(Christoph Strässer [SPD] heckling: Absolutely right!)

Another problem affects the situation of the press in the country as a whole. Not only the relief organizations, but also journalists must be granted access to the areas fought for. In this context, I wish to convey my respect to the up to now German Ambassador in Sri Lanka. Ambassador Jürgen Werth recently demonstratively took part in the burial of the murdered publisher of the Sunday Leader, Mr. Lasantha Wickrematunge, and then held a speech earning him a lot of trouble with the official institutions in Sri Lanka and the government-controlled press – which was foreseeable and not for the first time. Obviously, German diplomacy does good work. This deserves our respect.

(Applause from SPD, CDU/CSU, FDP and BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN)

Exactly in this sense we demand an independent investigation of crimes of war, which will not be easy for all parties involved in the conflict – this is the same at other places. We demand a stop of arms deliveries as well as a evaluation of customs preferences – they have to be made dependent on the observation of Human Rights – and appeal to the World Bank for a suspension of development cooperations with Sri Lanka not seen as humanitarian assistance. To sum it up shortly: Sri Lanka is far away from Good Governance. In the end, no way will lead away from common efforts by the international community for a political solution of the conflict, as a military solution, as always, can not be reached. Therefore, we demand India, Pakistan, Russia, China and Japan to cooperate.

Finally I would like to mention the – in my view – standard problem of our age, which also in Sri Lanka appears in a terrible way. In the case of Sri Lanka, it is, like in other crisis regions, about organizing multinational societies and states on a contractual basis, tolerant and in the best case democratically. This makes the inclusion of a groups of the population necessary. Basic condition for this is the respect of human- and civil rights of every person independently of his membership to the one, the other, the third or the next to whatever population group. In Sri Lanka, we are far away from fulfilling this condition concerning the Tamils. Additionally, the creation of federal structures could really be a step stone for the long-term pacification and equalization in Sri Lanka. In this context, we in Germany like to succumb to the temptation of praising our also not really successful federalism as a model. It is good and right that Germany, the German Bundestag and the Federal Government, wants to assist in this case, in which we stand shortly before the really great disaster. Now safeguarding of the harassed civilians has priority; but without a political solution there will be no peace. We are ready to assist in a political solution.

Thank you for your attention.

(Applause from SPD, CDU/CSU, FDP and BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN)

Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt:

Harald Leibrecht will now speak for the FDP group.

(Applause from the FDP)

Harald Leibrecht (FDP):

Madam President! Honorable Ladies and Gentlemen! Today, we are debating for the second time within a short time frame about the humanitarian disaster in Sri Lanka. In this context I am very happy that this time four party groups in this esteemed parliament put forward a common motion satisfying the urgency of the events in Sri Lanka.

In my speech a little more than a month ago I have said here, that the reports and images one gets from Sri Lanka and the refugee camps are absolutely shocking, and I am sad to say that the situation has even worsened. With raw violence and dismaying brutality military and Tamil rebels are attacking each other and take no regard with the civilian population. Since January of this year, 190 000 persons have been fleeing from the areas fought for; 115 000 alone since 20th April. The Tamil rebels of the LTTE are closed in at a small coastal strip, and the so-called Liberation Tigers are using the civilian population as himan shield and kill anybody trying to flee from the zone of fighting. On the other hand, the government shoots on everything that moves and also takes no regard for the refugees. Contrary to statements by the government, heavy arms are still used there. According to the United Nations, since February 2009 some 6500 civilians have been killed, among them 500 children. Among the 14 000 injured persons were some 1700 children. Thus, it is again – colleague Jung has just pointed this out – the weakest in society suffering under the conflict. Actually we experience in Sri Lanka a dismaying game with human lives. Responsible for this are the Tamil Liberation Tigers as well as the Sri Lankan government. The conflict has increased in the past months and seems to get near its military end. However, even after a military victory a politically stable solution will almost not be possible. Too deep is the rift between the majority of the Singhalese and the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka. It must be feared that the LTTE fighters will go on fighting in the underground and push the conflict on a different level.

We must urgently increase the pressure on the government in Colombo, this with the target of safeguarding the suffering civilian population. The government must enable the people to get to areas outside the zone of fighting. Additionally it must take care that the civilian population has access to sufficient supplies of food and shelter. All this does not happen. The UNHCR has declared on 28th April 2009 that the refugee camps in the North and East of Sri Lanka are totally overcrowded. The government in Colombo must finally support the international relief organizations in alleviating the suffering of the civilian population. As long as it does not do this, we from our side have to make clear that Europe and the world will no accept the inhuman behaviour of both sides.

(Applause from FDP as well as with parliamentarians of CDU/CSU, SPD and BÜNDNISSES 90/DIE GRÜNEN)

A central approach from the international side must be the end of arms deliveries to Sri Lanka. At the same time we must think about with which long-term political solution things can go on after a conclusion of the violent conflict in Sri Lanka. How does the Sri Lankan government imagine living together with the Tamil minority after a military victory against the Liberation Tigers? For this context, the government of Sri Lanka must present a concludent and humane concept. It is no alternative to settle the Tamil population in barrack-like fortress villages, as it is feared by many relief organizations.

Presently there are negotiations with the IMF about credits for Sri Lanka. The observation of human rights standards for all groups of the population in Sri Lanka should be a minimum condition in granting such credits. The European Union and Germany must confront Colombo with one voice and make clear that that we care about the human lives in this conflict, which in the past four months has demanded more victims than the conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan together – they are horrible enough – and that we have to act.

I thank you for your attention.

(Applause from FDP as well as with parliamentarians of CDU/CSU, SPD and BÜNDNISSES 90/DIE GRÜNEN)

Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt:

The colleague Jürgen Klimke has now the word for the CDU/CSU party group.

Jürgen Klimke (CDU/CSU):

Madam President! Ladies and Gentlemen! The colleagues Jung and Leibrecht have described the dramatic situation in Sri Lanka very impressively already. Let me make some personal remarks relating back to a trip to Bali the colleague Kortmann and I took to the annual meeting of the ADB, the Asian Development Bank.

When we were there last monday, we also met some representatives of the government of Sri Lanka to tell them that we would debate today in the German Bundestag a motion on the humanitarian disaster in Sri Lanka. We have discussed the motion with them and talked about the situation in Sri Lanka as well as our political evaluation of the situation. We have tried to get the grants by ADB and World Bank not extended for the time being, if certain conditions were not fulfilled. The answer of the chief negotiator from Sri Lanka was absolutely not acceptable. We were told that our delegation was meddling in internal affairs of a free and independent state,

(Harald Leibrecht [FDP] heckling: That’s cynical!)

and we Germans had obviously not learned from our history, as who had taken care for the victims of the Gestapo? Who cared about the people dying at the Berlin Wall? About this, nothing had been discussed in this country. Thus, our meddling in the Sri Lankan affairs was totally unacceptable. If one is treated cynically, arrogant and ignorant in such a way, trying to assist people, as we have done, this is an effrontery. This behavior has led to us quitting the talks.

(Applause from CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP and BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN)

I have seldom experienced such a measure of historical ignorance and lies in a direct conversation.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in this conversation something also got obvious, something we can not only observe in Asia, but also on the global stage: States have different interests of their own. Thus, there are the selfish interests of the Asian states, the arms trading interests of China and Pakistan, the geo-strategic interests of Russia and India, the quiet diplomatic efforts by Japan. Those different motivations result in there being no united stance on the situation in Sri Lanka. We were not able to push through our demands with ADB and World Bank. That’s a very bad sign. However, we have to point out that the Western nations were waiting for a very long time, if Sri Lanka was the topic, as they did not really know where Sri Lanka really is and which geo-strategic matters are connected with the situation there.

All this happened with the background that in the moment 50 000 Tamil refugees, used as human shields, are closed in at a 5 square kilometres, surrounded by a murderous destructive war. Eyewitnesses have described how the army is shooting at everything that moves. They report of bodies of dead children torn to peaces, of people having to dwelling in earth holes for weeks and of rebels shooting at fleeing civilians. The warfare of the Sri Lankan Army is for us absolutely condemnable. This abominable war is not only to be condemned, it must also be stopped immediately.

(Applause from CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP and BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN as well as with parliamentarians of the LINKE)

The human rights organization Human Rights Watch describes the progress by the army as perverse final fight. It is a perverse wars which experts of the situation in Sri Lanka have seen coming for a long time. Altogether it rages a quarter of a century now, and it will rage as long in the future, if the minority rights of the Tamils are still not observed in future, and if the Tamils are still following their dream image of a sovereign state.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in the past 25 years 70 000 persons have been killed in this war, half of them in the past two years and 7500 in the first three months of this year. This numbers are based on a mixture of poisoned colonial heritage, nationalism and military megalomania we know from Rwanda, Kenia, but also from Bosnia. We, the world community, are still not speaking with one voice in the case of Sri Lanka – I am repeating myself. This can not be. Thus we explicitly welcome this motion presented here on the level of the Bundestag, on the political stage. The tragedy of this war is founded in both sides seeing this conflict only as solved when the other side was totally destroyed. There was no negotiating or strategic moving towards each other. The religion of the Singhalese plays a decisive role in this conflict: The Buddhist clergy does not preach to refrain from violence, in the contrary: It preaches an aggressive chauvinism towards the Hindu Tamils. For the other side it must be stated that this war has become for the LTTE the purpose as such. With the tactic of suicide attacks they want to reach a sovereign state. The approach needs to be condemned.

As we have heard, the LTTE is murdering, training child soldiers and silencing peaceful Tamil parties. They have not founded a non-violent political wing, something like the counterpart to the Irish Sinn Fein, out of war-tactical reasons and also do not try to do so. However, this war is worst for the impartial people on Sri Lanka. The land is almost bankrupt. The government is corrupt. The official institutions are inflated. An economic development of the country is hardly possible. Army and police regularly let people disappear in the areas “liberated” from the LTTE and in the cities terrorize critical human rights activists, lawyers and journalists. Sri Lanka has become a typical failing state. In this light it must be observed what happened to the mediator role of Norway, what the institution of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission has effected and that the so-called Tokyo Co-Chairs have been dissolved and Western ambassadors are deported. The German ambassador has left the country out of his free will, after he had made remarks on the matter of freedom of the press – for me an impossible event.

(Applause from parliamentarians of CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP and BÜNDNISSES 90/DIE GRÜNEN)

Human rights violantions are almost not investigated, or not at all. The former High Commissioner of the United Nations requested by the international community has already in 2007 during a visit pointed towards the situation of the human rights in Sri Lanka. Still not much happened. The armed Liberation Tigers of the LTTE, the Karuna group and other violent groups on Sri Lanka massively violate the UN Charta and the human rights anchored therein: They are killing people, rape women. And, ny the way, it would be a mistake to believe that the Tamils are save of the LTTE, their own blood brothers. Nobody is safe anywhere, that’s the situation on Sri Lanka.

Like the EU we als Union group we demand an immediate end of human rights violation and the re-introduction of ethical minimum standards. This target has an humanitarian and devevelopment-political dimension, which I would like to discuss in the following points.

On the matter of development policy. 2007 we have stopped our funds. 30 million Euro for 2008 are still on ice. Those funds can certainly not be paid. Axing the funds is the only language the government of Sri Lanka understands.

(Applause from parliamentarians of CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP and BÜNDNISSES 90/DIE GRÜNEN)

However, in another relation, we need to remain engaged, however below the level of bilateral relations. With conflict strategies we have to promote the will for dialog and respect for the rights of the other person. There are examples when those things work. Aceh in Northern Indonesia is also an example, that the situation gets rational, if all parties want it. But here the situation is totally different.

Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt:

Colleague, you have to please finish your argumentation.

Jürgen Klimke (CDU/CSU):

I would like to refer again to the motion and make a concluding remark. A dream island has become a trauma. Therefore I think that is right that there is still a travel information by the Foreign Office. I hope that many Germans take this travel information serious, as this is not about vacation and tourism anymore, but about human rights.

Thank you.

(Applause from CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP and BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN)

Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt:

Michael Leutert is the next speaker for the group Die Linke.

(Applause from the LINKE)

Michael Leutert (DIE LINKE):

Madam President! Dear Colleagues!

I would like to state right at the beginning: We will certainly not fight about this topic on matters of content.

(Applause of the parliamentarian Burkhardt Müller-Sönksen [FDP])

Fact is: In Sri Lanka a bloody civil war has been going on, which is fight on the heads of the civilian population. However, it is also a fact that this war takes place for most of the time outside of the public and thus also our own consciousness. On the one hand, it is part of a honest tackling of the topic to ask for the reasons. On the other hand one has to know the history, if one is interested in a long-term solution strategy. Both are not the topic we are talking about today, but I think that it is still necessary, that Europe has not only humanitarian responsibility, like all states, but also a responsibility founded in the colonial era, as this conflict was then significantly strengthened.

(Applause from the LINKE)

In the past months, the conflict has escalated. Between the LTTE and government enormous violence has broken out, which does not take the civilian population into account anymore. Out of this reason, this motion is absolutely rightfully focussed on preventing a even worse humanitarian disaster. The term humanitarian disaster is sometimes contested or unclear. In this case this is definitely not the case. As the people fleeing from the war an in general suspected of being rebels, the refugee camps can be rightfully termed internment camps, as access to judicial proceeding is not guaranteed, and human rights and humanitarian minimum standards are no longer observed.

In front of this background, the demands collected in the motion are rational and right. It is self-understood that we Linke are also supporting the Federal Government pushing for a immediate ceasefire. We Linke als demand that the Federal Government shall call for the observation of humanitarian minimum standards, that the civilian population shall be evacuated as soon as possible and that access to the refugee camps is granted.

(Applause from the LINKE and parliamentarians of the SPD)

Altogether 14 demands have been formulated in the motion. As they are rational and right, we will surely vote for this motion. However, in this context, two questions must be permitted. For one, if we are in agreement in this parliament concerning those matters, I ask mayself why the CDU/CSU and SPD party group did not vote for a motion by the LINKE for a immediate stop of deportations of refugees from Sri Lanka, which was discussed two months ago in the committees.

(Applause with the LINKE – Christoph Strässer [SPD] heckling: We have decided this together here in the plenum!)

Additionally, my party group was not involved in this inter-group motion. What brings you to the stance that we could not vote for this motion? There must have been this assumption, or somebody would have talked to us. There could be content reasons for this, but it is also no secret – this does not need to be discussed here – that the CDU/CSU does not want us to be involved in such motions on humanitarian matters. There can be different reasons for this. It could be crude anti-communism.

(Remark from the FDP heckling: But you are no communists!)

It could also be the wish for a concept of the enemy or the fact that the election campaign has started. I would like to point out to you that with this approach you limit the power of the motion, as it is always better, if all party groups and not only almost all party groups are supporting such a motion.

(Applause from the LINKE as well as with parliamentarians of BÜNDNISSES 90/DIE GRÜNEN)

I hope that all of you know: It this is about a humanitarian disaster, then it is really serious. Out of this reason, we will not participate in your games and still vote for this motion.

(Applause from the LINKE)

Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt:

Now Kerstin Müller will speak for Bündnis 90/Die Grünen.

Kerstin Müller (Köln) (BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN):

Madam President! Der Colleagues! I want to state directly from the beginning: It is good that we will decide today, based on a motion by the Grüne, a common motion on the actual situation in Sri Lanka. I would like to state clearly for my party group: I find it sad and also hilarious that even after four years it is still not possible to involve the Linke in such a thing. We find this wrong.

(Applause from BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN and the LINKE – Christoph Strässer [SPD] heckling: You have not given us a signal!)

We now need a signal of unity, as still the fighting is going on with all intensity; the colleagues speaking before me have mentioned this already. Thousands have been killed already. Ten thousands are still fleeing and are totally exhausted after weeks of bombardment without end. Really terrible is it thinking about approximately 50 000 people – one does not know how many exactly – being closed in on a tiny speck of land, sitting in the trap of the Tamil Tigers, and being shot at by government troops at the same time. They are without water, food and medical treatment. The most important demand is – and it is important that it is mentioned in out motion – that the local government enters into a humanitarian ceasefire, so that those civilians, which can not be made responsible, can leave the zone of fighting.

(Applause from BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN, SPD and the LINKE)

Another point is also important. If the government is pushing in a fatal war for the final military victory, then it will have – exactly like the Tamil Tigers – to observe at least the minimum standards of humanitarian international laws. This is the clear message, which we, the German Bundestag, are sending to Sri Lanka today. Additionally the United Nations and the international relief organizations must be granted unimpeded access to the zone of fighting. Independent observers of EU and UN must be let inside, as well as independent journalists, as until today we basically have no image of the situation of our own. Thus, the more important is that there is any reporting at all.

Approximately 180 000 refugees have succeeded to flee into so-called welfare camps – that’s the term used by the government, we naturally do not adopt it – of the government. However, even here the situation is difficult, as even the UNINCRF has not unlimited access here. There are reports about disappearing persons and much more. Those conditions are absolutely unacceptable.

(Applause from BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN, SPD and FDP as well as with parliamentarians of the CDU/CSU)

In such a situation it is an especially bad sign if the UN Security Council is not able to formally convene and set a clear sign with a resolution. Under pressure by China and Russia, there has been only an informal meeting up to now. That is an declaration of bankruptcy. It seems that Ban Ki-moon will now travel to the region. But we see, and this is sad, that even such humanitarian issues fall victims to matters of power, and the international community is not able to work together. Then it would maybe be possible to do effective assistance.

(Applause from BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN, CDU/CSU and FDP as well as with parliamentarians of SPD)

It is a sad thing that the French and British Foreign Ministers have failed; this was remarked already. There shall be another trial of the Troika. I hope that it will be successful, even if it is necessary to be pessimistic. Rajapakse has made a concession and declared, that he would refrain from air attacks and using heavy arms. But even this is not kept. A few days ago, an emergency hospital was bombed, and even those persons, which managed to flee from this hell report something different. It is surely good, that another trial for understanding is made.

However, it is also important that those who are travelling there, have some means of pressure in their hands. Mr. Leibrecht has already been mentioning the IWF credit and described how grand the behaviour of the World Bank was. Mr. Klimke has then argued that basically everything must be done, and that only a total stop of funds was the language the government would understand. I thus ask the Federal Government to make at this point no grant for the next part of the IWF credit, for the extension of trade preferences or for programs of reconstruction, if those are not connected with an improvement of the human rights situation. They should additionally be connected with our humanitarian demands as there are: Ceasefire, opportunity for all civilians to leave the zone, and long-term peaceful negotiations. Those demands need to be finally fulfilled by the government.

(Applause in the whole house)

Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt:

Dear Colleague, you have to conclude.

Kerstin Müller (Köln) (BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN):

I will conclude now. – Sometimes it seems that one is helpless. But I believe that this is finally not the case. After three years of battle, Sri Lanka is blooded out, also financially. The country will move towards us again, as it is in need of financial assistance. Therefore it is important that the international community acts as a unit, by saying: We will only assist when steps are made towards the Tamils, and when there trials of reconciliation with the Tamils.

(Applause in the whole house)

Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt:

I conclude the debate.

We will no vote about the motion of the party groups CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP and Bündnis 90/ Die Grünen on printed matter 16/12869 with the title „Prevent Humanitarian Disaster in Sri Lanka”. Who will vote for the motion? Against? Abstentions?
Thus the motion is unanimously agreed upon.

-Sri Lanka Guardian