EU calls for humanitarian ceasefire in Sri Lanka

EU calls for humanitarian ceasefire in Sri Lanka 29 January 2009, 18:29 CET

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(BRUSSELS) - EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel on Thursday called for a ceasfire between Sri Lankan forces and Tamil rebels to allow trapped civilians to flee the combat zone.

"This is an escalating humanitarian catastrophe. We are extremely worried about the terrible situation facing people trapped in the fighting," in the combat zone in the northeast of the island, Michel said in a statement.

"Everything must be done to prevent the suffering of the population and stop further bloodshed and I therefore urge that a window of cessation of hostilities be agreed by the parties to allow civilians to leave the combat zone," he urged.

The United Nations evacuated hundreds of severely wounded civilians from behind rebel lines in Sri Lanka on Thursday as government troops fought to secure final victory over the Tamil Tigers.

Human rights bodies have called for immediate steps by both the Colombo government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to save up to 250,000 civilians trapped in a 250 square-kilometre area by the fierce fighting.

Michel said that "many civilians have died and hundreds of wounded people are deprived of adequate medical care."

During a visit to Brussels on Tuesday Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama accused the rebels of using civilians as human shields.

He assured that his government and army were doing the utmost to spare civilians, saying he could "absolutely" guarantee civilians' safety.

The EU's Michel said the top priorities at the moment were the safe passage for food convoys organised by the World Food Programme, and full access for medical staff and life-saving medicines.

"Hospital and clinics must be respected while evacuation of civilians needing emergency treatment is crucial," he stressed.

The trapped civilians "have no place of refuge and no way of escaping. Ambulances and hospitals have been hit by shelling, and aid workers have been injured trying to bring vital assistance to the victims," said Michel.

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, has funded humanitarian and food aid programmes in Sri Lanka since 1994 to assist people affected by conflict and natural disasters.

Last year it channelled 19 million euros (25 million dollars) to Sri Lanka via the International Committe of the Red Cross, World Food Programme and other humanitarian groups.

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