Colombo's refusal to open A9, serious Humanitarian violation - Thamilchelvan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 September 2006, 12:23 GMT]
Liberation Tigers Political Head S.P. Thamilchelvan Wednesday held discussions with the Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Major General Lars Johan Sølvberg, urging the Head of Mission to clarify the stand of Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) after the refusal by Sri Lanka Army in allowing the truce monitors access the Muhamalai area. Mr. Thamilchelvan questioned the HoM on the cooperation extended by GoSL in restoring normalcy in re-opening the land route and relieve the humanitarian sufferings of 500,000 civilians entrapped in economic embargo and GoSL refusal to open the Jaffna Kandy A9 route. Also other access routes to LTTE controlled areas in the East remain blocked.

"Restoration of normalcy is a basic requirement in the Ceasefire Agreement," Mr. Thamilchelvan said when contacted by TamilNet Wednesday evening.

"The refusal to open A9 route is a serious humanitarian violation by the Sri Lankan state," he further said.

"We have noted that Colombo was able to take journalists to Muhamalai FDL area but it refused access to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission," LTTE's Political Head commented.

Article 2:10 of the Ceasefire Agreement states that the Parties shall open the Kandy-Jaffna road (A9) to non-military traffic of goods and passengers.

The SLMM Head, in his latest weekly report, said that the humanitarian crisis in many areas in the North and in the East is "steadily worsening with limited supplies being brought up to Jaffna and into various LTTE areas leaving thousands of people without basic necessities and paralysed economic activity."

"Aid agencies are in general prevented from going into LTTE areas," the SLMM's weekly report noted.

"With the monsoon season on its way it is likely that the conditions of people in general will get worse."

The Co-Chairs of Tokyo Donor Conference, Norway, the European Union, the USA and Japan, met in Brussels on September 12 and urged the parties to cease violence and "show maximum flexibility."

"Failure to cease hostilities, pursue a political solution, respect Human Rights and protect Humanitarian Space could lead the international community to diminish its support," the Co-Chairs had warned.