"The EU is appalled by continuing reports of high numbers of civilian casualties, including children, following recent intense fighting in northern Sri Lanka, which the UN has described as 'a bloodbath'." "The fighting must stop now."
"The EU calls on the government of Sri Lanka to refrain from a final assault which will result in further loss of life and to take, without delay, all necessary steps to facilitate the evacuation of the civilians trapped in the conflict zone," said in a draft statement drawn up ahead of the EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday.
In the statement, ministers from the 27 EU nations reiterate the need for all to respect human rights laws. The statement adds:
"The EU underscores that fighting terrorism must be done in full respect for the rule of law and human rights. The EU calls for the alleged violations of these laws to be investigated through the establishment of an independent inquiry."
"The EU condemns the LTTE, a terrorist organisation, in particular for the use of civilians as human shields and the forced recruitment of civilians." Tamil rebels should lay down their arms and allow the tens of thousands of civilians in the conflict zone to move to safety."
Sri Lanka's government has so far brushed off calls from the U.N. Security Council and U.S. President Barack Obama to slow its offensive.
With the final assault already commennced in full scale and with the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, will there be a need to discuss this on Monday.
Tamil Civilians are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea - if they go they suffer, if they don't go they suffer. The only way to save them from the brutal, inhuman SL Govt is an intervention by a third party. Who can help them UN, USA, UK, EU? - right now there is no one, the Tamils are left alone to survive the carnage or die. This is a mass scale experiment orchestrated by the regional bullies and watched by the whole world at the expense of tens of thousands of Tamil civilian. The World and the Rajapakse Regime should not forget that that's not all the Sri Lankan Tamils (30,000 or 50,000) left in this world. They are not going to go away.... they will be coming back ....