Sri Lanka to open safe passage for civilians
Saturday, 7 March 2009
COLOMBO, Mar 6 (AP): The Sri Lankan government appealed Friday for tens of thousands of civilians to flee the northern war zone and said it would open two safe passages in the area for the exodus.
The civilians are trapped along with the Tamil Tiger rebels inside a shrinking strip of land along the northeast coast. Human Rights Watch said last week at least 2,000 civilians had been killed in recent weeks.
International officials have issued increasing appeals to the military and the rebels to halt their battle temporarily to allow the civilians to escape, but the government has refused, saying it was on the verge of crushing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and ending the quarter-century civil war.
Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said Friday that the government was calling on the trapped civilians to flee to government-controlled areas to the north and south along a coastal road.
"The idea is to ask the people to ... walk away," he said. "We would hope that the LTTE, if they really are interested in their people, would let those people go."
Kohona said the move did not amount to a temporary ceasefire, but added the government had not shelled that road in any event.
It was unclear how the government's announcement would change the situation on the ground.
With most communication to the north severed, the rebels could not be reached for comment. However, they have repeatedly appealed for a ceasefire.
The United Nations cautiously welcomed the appeal.
"Any additional measure to relieve the suffering of civilians is welcome," said UN spokesman Gordon Weiss. "Let's watch and see if this translates into an effective safe passage for trapped civilians."
Aid groups estimate 200,000 civilians are squeezed into an area of less than 50 square kilometres. The government says the number is closer to 70,000.
The civilians are trapped along with the Tamil Tiger rebels inside a shrinking strip of land along the northeast coast. Human Rights Watch said last week at least 2,000 civilians had been killed in recent weeks.
International officials have issued increasing appeals to the military and the rebels to halt their battle temporarily to allow the civilians to escape, but the government has refused, saying it was on the verge of crushing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and ending the quarter-century civil war.
Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said Friday that the government was calling on the trapped civilians to flee to government-controlled areas to the north and south along a coastal road.
"The idea is to ask the people to ... walk away," he said. "We would hope that the LTTE, if they really are interested in their people, would let those people go."
Kohona said the move did not amount to a temporary ceasefire, but added the government had not shelled that road in any event.
It was unclear how the government's announcement would change the situation on the ground.
With most communication to the north severed, the rebels could not be reached for comment. However, they have repeatedly appealed for a ceasefire.
The United Nations cautiously welcomed the appeal.
"Any additional measure to relieve the suffering of civilians is welcome," said UN spokesman Gordon Weiss. "Let's watch and see if this translates into an effective safe passage for trapped civilians."
Aid groups estimate 200,000 civilians are squeezed into an area of less than 50 square kilometres. The government says the number is closer to 70,000.