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Sri Lanka situation worries donors

V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's key international donors on Tuesday expressed "alarm" at the "deteriorating" security situation on the island and wanted Colombo and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to "demonstrate seriousness to their commitment to the ceasefire agreement," in force since February 2002.

Referring to the "escalation of violence" since February 2002, the European Union, the United States, Japan and Norway said, "unless security is guaranteed, a central pillar of the ceasefire agreement (CFA) will be undermined."

The call has been made in the backdrop of a surge in individual killings and targeted violence though there has been no direct offensive between the forces of the Government and the LTTE.

"If the CFA ceases to function, the wider peace process would be gravely jeopardised and international support for that process would be deeply eroded," the U.S. Embassy here said on behalf of the key donors.

The donors, co-chairs of the Sri Lanka Peace Process, called upon Colombo and the LTTE "to take immediate action to prevent killings. The LTTE must stop all killings by their forces. The Government, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, must ensure that all paramilitary groups are disarmed and prevented from any activity that might lead to acts of violence. The Government must also guarantee the security of unarmed LTTE cadres in government-controlled areas," the statement said.

The "maintenance" of the CFA "is the responsibility of the two parties alone" and they"have had the excellent assistance of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and the full support of the international community." The four co-chairs said "it is time the parties demonstrate the seriousness of their commitment to the ceasefire agreement by coming together to resolve outstanding issues and renew their cooperation.''

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