DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA: Sri Lanka: Amnesty International calls for urgent protection of civilians amidst return to hostilities

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16 Jan 2008
Region: DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA
Topic: Regional conflict
Amnesty International is gravely concerned that the end to the CeasefireAgreement between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers ofTamil Eelam (LTTE) today will lead to an increase in hostilities that willresult in a dramatic rise in indiscriminate attacks against the civilianpopulation.
“The end of the ceasefire is likely to unleash fresh violence that willlead to serious human rights abuses, including an increase in enforceddisappearances and abductions as a counter-insurgency strategy, as well asunlawful killings. We call on both parties to the conflict to return to agenuine implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement and to uphold theprotection of civilians at all times”, said Catherine Baber, ProgrammeDirector for Asia-Pacific.

“The withdrawal of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, in addition to thedowngrading of the National Human Rights Commission by the InternationalCo-ordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions which hasbrought its credibility into question, leaves a vacuum in independentinvestigation and monitoring of human rights abuses. The establishment ofa United Nations field operation with a strong monitoring mandate is nowmore urgent than ever” she said.

“The ongoing climate of impunity for grave human rights abuses and theongoing violence exemplified by the recent assassination of governmentminister, DM Dassanayake and Tamil MP, T Maheswaran, is a seriousconcern”, Baber said.

Amnesty International calls on all parties in the conflict to comply withtheir obligations under international law to protect civilians and urgesthe international community to support the call to establish anindependent, international monitoring presence on the ground withoutdelay.

16 January 2008

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