Religions for Peace

 20 APRIL 2009

As many as 150,000 civilians are in grave peril, trapped between government military and the insurgent Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers) forces on a small strip of land in Sri Lanka. Their living area is being shelled by the Sri Lankan military, and the Tamil Tigers are using them as human shields.    

Aerial video taken this morning shows thousands of people struggling to leave the combat zone, while tens of thousands remain in the area. The International Crisis Group and other reliable sources report that there are also grave shortages of food, water and medical treatment for those still trapped.  

Both the government and the Tamil Tigers have the responsibility to protect innocent civilians. Two emergency steps need to be taken:

•    The Sri Lankan government should halt its offensive and accept a humanitarian pause monitored by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to ensure relief and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to allow innocent civilians to evacuate.    

•    The Tamil Tigers should immediately allow civilians to leave the area and stop forced recruitment.

International humanitarian law should be observed by both parties. Failure to observe it by one party does not give a license to the other to harm or fail to protect innocent people.  

The United Nations Security Council, other multilateral organizations and individual countries with relations with Sri Lanka should urgently use every means at their disposal to ensure the protection of the innocent.  

Religions for Peace Sri Lanka is working with leaders of the Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Islamic communities to support their cooperation for peace. These communities have strong moral heritages and followers who can help to build a climate of peace after this humanitarian crisis is addressed.  

 
Dr. William F. Vendley
Secretary General