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U.N. appeals for an end to hostilities in Sri Lanka

B. Muralidhar Reddy

LTTE requests "declaration of a safe haven"

COLOMBO: The United Nations on Saturday called for cessation of hostilities between the Sri Lanka forces and the Tamil Tigers to enable safe passage to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the conflict zone.

In a statement here, the United Nations Office of the Resident and Humanitarian Co-ordinator said the U.N. is distressed to hear about the tragic loss of life on Friday of seven IDPs including a young child whose boat capsized as they tried to reach safety away from the LTTE-held Vaharai.

It said more are feared dead as two boats remain missing.

"People are risking their lives daily on small boats and more such accidents will occur as vulnerable people are desperate to reach safety by any means, land or sea", it said.

The statement urged both parties to find immediate means to ensure the safe passage and protection of civilians in the Vaharai area and called for a cessation of hostilities by both parties. It urged the LTTE to facilitate and allow IDPs to leave the area and that the Sri Lankan army ensure their safe passage.

"We call on all parties to comply with their obligations under International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, as expressed in the Security Council resolutions on the Protection of Civilians and the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement", it said.

Separately, the LTTE said that in a series of meeting with the ICRC, UNHCR and the SLMM, it has requested the "declaration of a safe haven" in the surrounding areas of the Vaharai hospital and school.

A statement put out by the Tamil Tigers said that all three agencies received the request positively and promised to take up the matter with Colombo and respond.

The LTTE alleged that the people in the LTTE areas of Trincomalee from Sampur southwards have been forced to leave their homes by repeated Sri Lankan military offensives since August 2006. It said at present 36,000 refugees are concentrated in the Vaharai area and claimed that the Government has been denying humanitarian relief to the refugees in Vaharai since the end of October.

"Indiscriminate artillery fire has already killed 89 civilians, including 15 children, when Sri Lankan military artillery fire hit schools converted into refugee camps. Civilians remain trapped while artillery fire continues. Some desperate civilians took to the sea on Friday hoping to reach a safer place," it said.

The Tigers claimed that the safe haven proposal would provide a respite to the refugees who have been chased around from place to place for nearly five months.

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