Sri Lanka

Tigers and government committing war crimes: Amnesty

Article published on the 2009-01-30 Latest update 2009-01-30 18:29 TU

Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe
(Photo: Buddhika Weerasinghe/Reuters)

Amnesty International denounced both government forces and The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of committing war crimes by not allowing civilians to flee the government offensive that has pushed the LTTE out of its strongholds.

“Reports emerging from Sri Lanka suggest that government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam are violating the laws of war by targeting civilians and preventing them from escaping to safety,” Amnesty International's Madhu Malhothra told RFI.

"I also want to emphasize that recent fighting has place more than a quarter of a million civilians at risk. These people are displaced by the conflict and are facing acute shortages, especially food, shelter and medical care,” Malhothra said.

Meanwhile international humanitarian organisations renewed their calls for a ceasefire and for independent international observers to be allowed into Sri Lanka to monitor the situation for the 300 000 civilians displaced by the conflict.

But the Sri Lankan government rejected this call. "There won't be a ceasefire. We will pursue our military operations, liberate our citizens and totally eradicate terrorism," Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said.  

The European Union’s Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel also called for a halt to hostilities.

“This is an escalating humanitarian catastrophe. We are extremely worried about the terrible situation facing people trapped in the fighting,” Michel said in Brussels.