Tuesday, April 28, 2009

UN urges humanitarian pause in Sri Lanka

The UN humanitarian chief, John Holmes, has asked Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa for a "humanitarian pause" in fighting with the Tamil Tiger rebels.






UnitedNationsUndersecretary-GeneralforHumanitarianAffairsJohnHolmes(L)shakeshandswithSriLankanPresidentMahindaRajapaksabeforetheirmeetinginColomboApril27,2009.REUTERS/SriLankanGovernment/Handout


UnitedNationsUndersecretary-GeneralforHumanitarian
AffairsJohnHolmes(L)shakeshandswithSriLankan
PresidentMahindaRajapaksabeforetheirmeetingin
ColomboApril27,2009.
REUTERS/SriLankanGovernment/Handout


He says this would allow trapped civilians to escape or at least emerge from their bunkers to forage for food.


The UN humanitarian chief met the Sri Lankan President in Colombo on Monday.


Holmes said humanitarian organizations are dealing with "two crises simultaneously". One is trying to free those people still trapped in the war zone, and another "dealing physically with all the people who got out about a week ago".


Sri Lanka agreed to stop firing heavy weapons into the northern war zone to safeguard thousands of civilians trapped there.

No comments: