UN Security Council members express concern on LTTE's use of
civilian hostages
'Concerns also raised on 02 UN local staff, 03
dependants and 11 NGO local staff subjected to forcible
recruitment by the LTTE in recent weeks'
The UN Security Council members have urged for the
immediate release and provision of safety for the civilians and UN
staffers and family members subjected to forcible recruitment, intimidation
and unprecedented hardships by the LTTE in the government declared No
Fire Zone.
The plight of the civilian hostages including 02 UN
local staffers, 03 dependants and 11 NGO local staffers came to light
during an informal interactive discussion held between members of the UN
Security council and Ambassador H.M.G.S Palihakkara on Thursday(March
26).
The UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian
Affairs, Sir John Holmes, also addressing the gathering, stated that,
"LTTE continues to reject the Government's call to lay down arms and to
let the civilian population leave, and has significantly stepped up
forced recruitment and forced labour of civilians".
The informal discussion was made contemplating the Sri
Lankan Government's policy of engagement with the international
community relating to the current situation in Sri Lanka. The Permanent
Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN, New York, Ambassador H.M.G.S
Palihakkara briefed the Members of the UN Security Council.
Sir John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator also briefed the
gathering. The meeting was held outside the formal structure of the UN
Security Council. During the briefing, Ambassador Palihakkara addressed
three broad aspects of the current situation - humanitarian, security
and political.
With regard to the humanitarian issues, the Ambassador
pointed out that the Government Agencies were continuing their intensive
efforts to address the needs of the civilians in the shrinking areas
where the LTTE is holding the civilian population by force. In this
humanitarian endeavor, the Government is working closely with the UN
Country Team in Sri Lanka as well as the ICRC, international
organizations and church groups who are present on the ground. He
detailed the enhanced arrangements that the Government has put in place
to transport food and medical supplies into the "Safe Zone", where the
civilians are being held captive by the LTTE. The Government initiative
to evacuate patients and accompanying civilians from the "Safe Zone"
continues with the assistance of the ICRC.
The areas under LTTE control have now been reduced to
a minimum and the Government is confident that terrorism will be
defeated in the near future. However, the Government is determined to
ensure that this process will not involve civilian casualties and
therefore, extra precautions have been taken.
Ambassador Palihakkara also appreciated the fact that
the Co-chairs, the UN, neighbouring countries and many members of the
Security Council have called on the LTTE to free the civilians and to
discuss modalities for surrendering their weapons and cadres.
The UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian
Affairs, Sir John Holmes, who also briefed the informal meeting, stated
that civilians are now trapped in a very small area. According to Sir
John , the LTTE continues to reject the Government's call to lay down
arms and to let the civilian population leave, and has significantly
stepped up forced recruitment and forced labour of civilians.
He called on all who can exert any direct or indirect
influence on the LTTE, for example, through the Tamil diaspora, to use
their influence to persuade the LTTE to give people the choice to leave
and stop forced recruitment and the use of civilians as human shields.
He also informed that at least 02 UN local staff, 03 dependants and 11
NGO local staff have been subject to forcible recruitment by the LTTE in
recent weeks. The UN and NGO local staff and their dependants are also
being held captive with civilians in the "No Fire Zone".
Ambassador Palihakkara further outlined the
constructive interaction that has been initiated with the UN
Under-Secretary-General, Sir John Holmes, following his visit to Sri
Lanka relating to the welfare of IDPs who have escaped the LTTE and come
into the cleared areas.
With regard to the political process, he informed the
UN Security Council Members that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has
initiated a dialogue forum to develop appropriate governance structures,
including devolution of power. The major Tamil and Muslim democratic
parties have been encouraged to attend this forum, which is designed to
encourage a broad-based political solution. Following the success in the
Eastern Province, it is the intention of the Government to reactivate
democratic political structures in the Northern Province as well.
The meeting concluded following an interactive
exchange of views with several Members of the UN Security Council.
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