TOP > Statements and Appeals > Human Rights in Sri Lanka

24 April 2009

H.E. Navanethem Pillay
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Your Excellency,

Urgent calls for immediate and urgent action
A war without witnesses in Sri Lanka

Reports reaching us from Sri Lanka are reflecting the deteriorating conditions for thousands trapped in the war zone. The emerging situation in the conflict in Sri Lanka calls for immediate and urgent action on your part and on the part of the international community to ensure the safety and security of civilians fleeing the fighting as well as to ensure that universally accepted standards of humanitarian aid are adhered to by the government of Sri Lanka.

The very effective blockade of the areas in which the conflict has been raging over the past week by the government makes it impossible for us to verify reports we receive regarding the appalling conditions under which the civilians are being forced into flight. However, there is no doubt that the No Fire Zone declared by the Sri Lankan Army in the area adjacent to Pudumattalan on the east coast of the Vanni has ceased to exist a few days ago. The relentless military advance into this area on April 16th onwards has resulted in many deaths and injuries, and created an intolerable situation for civilians. On April 21 the government media announced that over 100,000 persons had fled into government controlled areas over the past 2 days.

On April 21st one of the few remaining Government health personnel, Doctor Siva Manoharan was reported to have been killed within the No Fire Zone. Over the past weeks, several other local humanitarian personnel have also been killed in this Zone including 2 ICRC workers and 1 person working for CARE. The denial of access to any independent observers to this area means that there is nobody who can verify and report on civilian casualties and the ground situation.

As members of civil society groups working for a sustainable peace in Sri Lanka, we are gravely concerned at the present situation.

Among our key concerns are:
- The lack of appropriate and adequate preparation by the government to accommodate and provide assistance for the large number of persons who obviously require immediate and urgent medical attention and care.
- The continued denial of access to international and national media
- The continued denial of access to international and national humanitarian agencies and workers to many of the areas most directly affected by the conflict and the restrictions placed on them in the delivery of much needed services to the people. The contracts signed with the governments related to IDP activities are stringent and looks as if they are contracted by the state to provide such assistance.

We urge you to use all diplomatic avenues available at your disposal to call on the government of Sri Lanka to ensure that all IDPs, and especially those suspected of being members or sympathizers of the LTTE, are treated according to the principles established by international humanitarian law and in particular to ensure that gross violations of human rights do not take place during this period.

The issue of ensuring independent monitoring of the screening process for civilians coming out of the conflict zones of the Vanni remains a major concern. Although assurances were given to Sir John Holmes during his visit in February 2009 that representatives of the ICRC and the UN could be present at all screening points, this is yet to be implemented. According to our information, neither the ICRC nor the UN agencies have access to Velipuram and Killinochchi, and only the ICRC is allowed access to Pulmoddai. We urge you to hold the government of Sri Lanka to their commitments to Sir Holmes in this regard.

We have urged repeatedly to send a UN led humanitarian team to visit the area and conduct a needs assessment which can form the basis for all future plans for rehabilitation and reconstruction in this area. This is imperative if the people of the Vanni of all ethnic and religious communities are to feel that the government and the international community have their best interests at heart.

We also hope that the members of the UN Security Council will be given the opportunity to receive and consider the report of your most recent envoy, Mr Vijay Nambiar, and lead to more immediate steps by that body to address the situation in Sri Lanka.

We appreciate your on-going efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of civilians caught up the conflict. We call upon you to find an innovative method to facilitate a special session on Sri Lanka and to urge all member states in the Human Rights Council to address the situation as an emergency situation.

We assure you of our fullest support at all times in bringing the conflict in Sri Lanka to an end and in restoring peace and democracy to the island through a peaceful negotiation to the ethnic conflict restoring the dignity and equality of citizens of Sri Lanka especially those belonging to Tamil and Muslim community.

Thank you,

Nimalka Fernando, President
Kinhide Mushakoji, Vice-President/IMADR Japan Committee President
Yuriko Hara, Secretary-General