UN/SG URGED TAMIL IDPs' SAFETY!!!

UN chief urges civilian protection

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Monday called on Sri Lanka's warring parties to ensure the protection of civilians. In a statement issued by his press office, the UN Chief expressed his deep concern about the safety and well-being of civilians caught in intensified fighting in the Vanni between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government.

"He calls on the LTTE and the Government to accord immediate and absolute priority to ensuring the protection and well-being of civilians, including humanitarian aid workers," the statement said.

"The Government and the LTTE must ensure that all people, including the displaced, are treated in accordance with International Humanitarian Law." The Secretary-General called on both parties to respect "no fire zones," "safe areas," and civilian infrastructure including schools, medical facilities and humanitarian facilities and assets.

He voiced deep concern over the "increasingly dire" humanitarian situation, urging all parties to allow and facilitate the movement of 250,000 civilians currently in the area of fighting to safe areas.

Ban appreciated the cooperation of the Government in facilitating the relocation of UN staff and urged further cooperation from all parties in this regard. Meanwhile, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe said the United Nations, as well as other aid agencies, still has staff in the North, working desperately to provide humanitarian aid to some 250, 000 civilians trapped in the areas in which fighting is continuing. Nearly 5,000 people have managed to cross the zones held by the LTTE to Government-controlled areas since late November, Okabe said.

The UN Refugee Agency has taken the lead in formulating guidance for assistance to accommodate internally displaced persons fleeing from the Vanni region, she added.

Xinhua