Sri Lanka - UN must intervene now to prevent bloodbath - 2009-02-12

A leading member of the European Parliament has declared that the situation in Sri Lanka is now so critical that the UN must intervene to prevent a civilian massacre.

Robert Evans MEP, who is Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with South Asia, is calling on UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to demand that a United Nations peace keeping mission be allowed into the country as soon as possible.

 "All the evidence suggests that about a quarter of a million people are not just stuck in limbo, but could be caught in a ghastly bloodbath," said Robert Evans MEP. This comes as reports say that the remaining doctors and medical staff in the LTTE (Tamil Tiger) controlled area in the north of Sri Lanka, have been ordered to leave.

Robert Evans said, "Whilst the Sri Lankan Government has urged Tamil civilians to come over to their side, there is a natural reticence and fear of such a move. The Tamil people have seen so much death and destruction. They are terrified of Sri Lankan troops and their 'holding camps', not to mention their different language. Equally there are stories suggesting that the LTTE has or might shoot anyone who tries to escape from the areas that remain under their control."

Mr Evans continued, "It is impossible to know the exact figures because the Sri Lankan Government doesn't allow independent access to the war zone, but there could be as many as 250,000 men, women and children massacred in the next few days unless the international community acts immediately."

 "I am calling on the United Nations and the International Community as a whole, to demand that the Sri Lankan Government allow humanitarian aid to these people and full access for the world press and media corps," pleaded Robert Evans MEP. "Time is running out. This help must be delivered as a priority."

Robert Evans MEP has discussed the worsening situation in Sri Lanka with Foreign Office Minister Lord Malloch-Brown, European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner and was in Oslo on Tuesday meeting Norwegian Minister Erik Solheim, who for years was the key peace negotiator between the Government and the LTTE.

Notes       

• 1. Call Robert Evans MEP direct on 07785 290546 or call Ed Mayne, Media Officer to Robert Evans MEP, on 07763 305415.
• 2. Robert Evans is Chair of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with South Asia .

For more information please call the European Parliamentary Labour Party press officer, Silke Thomson on +32 479 790 053.

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