TOP > Statements and Appeals > Human Rights in Sri Lanka

January 11, 2008

The International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism (IMADR) deeply regrets the decision taken by the Sri Lankan Government (SLG) to terminate the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) concluded with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The CFA was signed between the two parties to the on-going ethnic conflict on 22 February 2002 under the facilitation of the Norwegian government.

As a Japan-based International Human Rights NGO, we had participated fully in all the initiatives taken by civil societies both in Japan and in Sri Lanka, as well as by international and regional NGOs to nurture the environment of ceasefire, as this is crucial to conflict resolution.

It is rather alarming that Sri Lanka has committed a large proportion of its budget over a period of time for defense while relying heavily on donors including the Japanese government for development and post-conflict reconstruction. We are aware that post-tsunami reconstruction projects could not be fully implemented in the North and East due to the on-going conflict.

We are deeply concerned that the termination of the CFA would result in a further escalation of violence, death, destruction on the civilian population already traumatized and besieged by constant aerial and artillery bombardment, displacement and ex-legal and extra-judicial killings.

We also note with dismay the SLG's decision to terminate peace negotiations with the LTTE, the chief Tamil protagonists. The Norwegian Minister for Environment and International Development, who had played an instrumental role in brokering the CFA, has said that the regrettable termination "would weaken efforts to protect the civilian population, which would be most regrettable". Mr. Masahiko Koumura, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, also expressed concerns in his statement that "the decision taken by the Government of Sri Lanka may lead to the escalation of the conflict by way of an increased level of violence and greater civilian casualties, and leave the peace process at a standstill. "

The Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM) will cease to play the monitoring role. There is fear among the people in the North and East that the removal of the SLMM is a plan to further the violence faced by them. Hitherto, the monitoring mission has provided some semblance of protection to the civilian population. We regret the failure of the SLG to provide a framework to resolve the conflict of power sharing through a constitutional arrangement.

We therefore call on the SLG and the LTTE to refrain from violent retaliations. The SLG should desist from terminating the CFA and unconditionally and immediately commence negotiations with the LTTE so that a permanent solution to this ethnic conflict can be achieved.

We also call on the peace loving international community to exert diplomatic pressure on the parties to the conflict to uphold the rule of law, and to protect fundamental liberties of all regardless of ethnicity, religion and political consideration. We further call on the international community to persuade the SLG to accept the establishment of a United Nations office for human rights as proposed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, so that violations can be monitored and investigated promptly.