Sri Lanka: Security Council must call for real protection for civilians and for a cease-fire

The Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) called urgently on the Security Council on Tuesday to bring all parties to the conflict in Sri Lanka to the unconditional protection of the civilian population and to an immediate cease-fire.The human rights organisation demanded an immediate special meeting of the Security Council since there is a real threat of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka. "Some 100,000 civilians are still enclosed in the north-east of the island after the expiry of the ultimatum of the army on Tuesday morning”, said the GfbV Asia consultant, Ulrich Delius. "Their protection must have absolute priority. The storming of this last area controlled by the movement ‘Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’ could mean the death of many of these civilians.”

The GfbV also meted out sharp criticism of the UN General Secretary, Ban Ki-moon. because he has not used all means to prevent further bloodshed. More than 4,500 people have according to UN sources already been killed since the beginning of the recent military offensive of the Sri Lankan army at the end of January. The UN General Secretary must at last travel urgently to Sri Lanka to use his personal influence to stop the fighting.

The human rights organisation also meted out severe criticism of the international community for not speaking out on the bloodshed in Sri Lanka. "Even if one is no friend of the "Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam” one must speak up in the light of this unparalleled escalation of violence in Sri Lanka”, said Delius. The GfbV condemned categorically the methods of the "Liberation Tigers” in using the Tamil civilians as a human shield to prevent themselves from being wiped out by the army. Army sources stated on Monday that 39,000 civilians had managed to escape the embattled area in spite of the enormous pressure of the liberation movement.

Ulrich Delius can also be reached at tel. ++49 (0)160 95 67 14 03.