Sri Lanka must observe a ceasefire call by the Tamil Tigers to stop hostilities and evacuate civilians trapped in conflict zones, Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.
The Indian government views with “grave concern” the humanitarian crisis that is building up every day in Sri Lanka, Mukherjee was quoted as saying in a statement posted on the Ministry of External Affairs Web site. There are about 70,000 civilians inside the conflict zones and there are acute shortages of food, water and medicines, the statement said.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) last Monday responded to international UN-led calls for a ceasefire, saying they were ready, but rejecting demands they lay down arms and surrender. Sri Lanka said the rebels reneged on previous agreements and refused to accept a ceasefire.
India made an appeal on Tuesday that international agencies be allowed to monitor the movement of civilians in war zones and told both sides to respect the sanctity of the “safe zones.” India has stayed away from the conflict after it was drawn into a battle with the LTTE when it sent a peacekeeping force to the island nation in 1987. The force was withdrawn three years later.
While the ceasefire may fall short of a declaration by the LTTE to lay down arms, the Sri Lankan government must still cease hostilities, the statement said. India appealed to Sri Lanka to immediately work out safe passage to secure locations for civilians.
“The government of India is making arrangements to send an emergency medical unit and medicines,” for civilians displaced by the conflict, the statement said.
Sri Lanka needs to effectively devolve powers to the north and eastern provinces “with assurances of equality and equal rights to all citizens, particularly the Tamil people,” within the constitutional framework of Sri Lanka.
India’s southern Tamil Nadu is home to more than 62 million people and has about 73,000 Sri Lankan refugees, the UN said. The ruling party, an ally of the federal coalition, in January threatened to pull out from the government unless Sri Lanka stopped its military offensive.
The Tamil Tigers are confined to 87km2 of land in the northeast after the army captured their main bases in January, the Sri Lankan military said.
The LTTE on Feb. 24 accused Sri Lankan artillery of firing at civilians in “safe zones” and said at least 10 civilians were killed in the attack and 25 others were injured.
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