The Hindu : National : CPI calls for ceasefire in Sri Lanka

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 16, 2006

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National

CPI calls for ceasefire in Sri Lanka

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India has demanded immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka and condemned the killing of 61 schoolchildren in air strikes in Mullaittivu.

"Outrageous"

"It is outrageous," party national secretary D. Raja said, adding that "targeting and killing children was the most horrendous crime and is against all norms of military conflict."

The situation in Sri Lanka is heading for a full-scale conflict in which the main sufferers were civilians, particularly women and children, in the Tamil areas.

Resume talks

Both the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam should honour the ceasefire agreement and resume peace talks immediately, he said.

Influx of refugees

Mr. Raja said the Government of India should monitor the situation carefully, as any deterioration would have its impact on Tamil Nadu and the rest of the country. Already influx of refugees was on the increase.

The Centre should not give any impression that it backed the Sri Lanka Army and the Sri Lankan Government's actions against the Tamil civilian population.

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