Rajapaksa has politely and clearly rejected the foreign ministers’ call to allow the UN and other international aid agencies access to the no-fire-zone, a Sri Lankan government official said.
The visiting foreign ministers of Britain and France Wednesday discussed with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa the humanitarian situation in the island’s north, where troops are battling the Tamil Tigers in a small strip of land.
After visiting the northern town of Vavuniya where nearly 180,000 war-displaced civilians are housed in refugee camps and welfare centres, British Foreign Minister David Miliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner met Rajapaksa at the southern town of Embilipitiya, 200 km south of Colombo.
According to a top government official, Rajapaksa has politely and clearly rejected the foreign Ministers’ call to allow the UN and other international aid agencies access to the no-fire-zone.
“The president has said there was no need for access to the no-fire-zone by these international agencies. He has pointed out to them that the troops have rescued over 115,000 trapped civilians since April 20 without any access by international agencies,” the official told.
“He had told them that the troops are committed to rescue the remaining civilians trapped there as did before,” the official said.
President Rajapaksa, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, however, has expressed his willingness to “consider the request by the visiting envoys to allow more presence of neutral members while screening the civilians entering the government-held areas”.
“He told them that he was willing to consider it, depending on the need,” the official said, stressing that over 18 international NGOs, other than the UN agencies, have been given access to the refugee camps and welfare centres.
The British and French foreign ministers met their Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama before visiting the refugee camps. And indicated their talks for ceasefire and allow access to aid agencies to no fire zone ended in failure.
Miliband said “Now is the time for the fighting to stop. Sri Lanka’s military advances have been spectacular, but winning the peace is as vital as winning the war.”
The ministers, who arrived in Colombo on a one-day trip, also called on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to free the thousands of civilians whose numbers vary between 20,000 to 50,000, instead of holding them hostage.
“They are hostages of the LTTE and we want them freed immediately,” Kouchner appealed to the rebels.
The visit of the British and French foreign ministers has assumed significance after Sri Lanka reportedly refused visa to Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, who too was to come.
Colombo denied this, saying Bildt is invited to visit the island nation early May.
The diplomatic efforts by the foreign ministers of Britain and France triggered noisy protests outside the British high commission in Sri Lanka by Buddhist monks who asked foreign governments to lay off.
Many carried anti-Britain placards as they squatted near the entrance of the British mission, shouting slogans against “international interference in an internal problem”.
The visiting Foreign Ministers met opposition political parties and Tamil political parties.
UNP leader Ranil Wickramasingha said he is “ashamed” to say that he was able to get a first hand assessment of the situation in the north from two foreign dignitaries-the visiting British and French Ministers as opposed to the Sri Lankan government.
What would be the European Unions's next act? will it also join with America now and talk about post conflict.
US state department once again started talking about post conflict. The Acting Department Spokesperson Robert Woods has told at yesterday's press briefing "What I’m – what I’ve been saying and what others have been saying from here is that these military actions need to stop, and the civilians need to be protected. And that is our major concern right now, and it’s dealing with the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka. And as I said to you before, we’re also thinking about post-conflict and how we can help Sri Lanka move forward after this conflict is over. And I know a number of other governments are concerned about the aftermath as well, and so we’re going to work with them as well. But as I said, our immediate focus is on the humanitarian situation."
The western world which jumped in to ban LTTE as a terrorist organization was snubed by Sri Lanka when it felt the need is over. Now Sri Lanka talking about development fund sans aid agencies, Sri Lanka is very clear in its stand, it said it is looking for fund to develop the war torn area, but clearly said it is not accepting aid agencies, international community will not be allowed to interfere in internal matters, it said, they have to only support from outside, complement our activity and "work according to our terms."
When it comes to political solution, Sri Lankan Government never said anything about political solution in the post conflict Sri Lanka, it is only the western world talking about political solution and coexistence.
The western world which changed the imbalance in the Tamil's struggle for political freedom has no assurance now to give the Tamils.
[News edited by Tamil National]
Comments (8)
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if there is any people to help tamil people that would we help full for us :-
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April 29, 2009
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Rajapakse said 'no' to visiting FMs: what next EU?
God are you here in the world?????????
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April 30, 2009
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Mr
The IC must realise what the Tamils are going through with such racist regime. This is the reason why an LTTE was started. It is because of one arrogant neighbour the Tamils ahve to suffer so much. Time will come - one day they will realise form their own suffering. The state is now worse than Hitler.
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April 30, 2009
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I love World Tamilan
what's happening in Sri Lanka ? we all are human beings, why this human name as Raja Paksa dont realise that he killing human....Tamilan around world are angry and mad about the situation in Lanka..same as islam hate Israel...before all Tamilan in Lanka killed, please ICJ court charge him..UN please do something
, Commonworld countries please help the tamils , we also human , same color of blood...DO SOMETHING WHO EVER GOT POWER PLEASE >>>Obama when u got power , we all were happy somethings will change...but nothing happened...
, Commonworld countries please help the tamils , we also human , same color of blood...DO SOMETHING WHO EVER GOT POWER PLEASE >>>Obama when u got power , we all were happy somethings will change...but nothing happened...
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April 30, 2009
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World Powers It's time for you to act.
Since you can't handle our Tamil people's crisis and save them then in the first place you should not have banned the Tigers and labelled them as terorrists. See for yourself what you all have done to our people. You can't even protect our people and yet you all have prevented LTTE from protecting our people. Since the GOSL is so adamant to free our people and it keeps killing thousands of them in the name of war on terrorism and shamelesly says that they are trying to save our people from LTTE. Come on we all have seen the proofs of how many civilians have been killed daily by the ruthless SLA and many abductions, tortures, rapes done by them. It's ridiculess to know that time and again everyone of the world powers are only talking and sending messages of ceasefires and always return with no as an answer from our oppressor. There is no point of talking anymore. Either send your militaries to stop the fight or lift the ban on LTTE and give them the assistance to fight back. Atleast do something fo GOD Sake to Save our People. We only feel that everyone are preying on our home land and can't be bothered about lifes that are perishing daily. If you all have any Humanity, do something to save the remaining people.
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April 30, 2009
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WE NEED LEADERS NOT LOSERS
Such a small island in this planet, which contain many resources and facilities, but now only grave yards and hell is available over there (Sri Lanka). Why can those SL leaders cann't think about the development, and why cann't they realize about there position in this world. Today even a neighbor country India is looking a SLankan's as virus.
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May 01, 2009
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The western countries (USA, EU,CANADA & UK) named LTTE a terrorist group. Did they know why LTTE was formed? The answer is NO. Just because demons who rule Sri Lanka said it they did it. Now tell us (Tamils) what are you going to call those bloody Rajapakse brothers? Aren't they world known TERRORIST", "RACIST" AND "|BLOOD SUCKERS"?
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May 12, 2009
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