Final Comments

[TamilNet, Sunday, 24 November 2002, 16:50 GMT]
The Parties of this Sub-Committee have since December 2001 moved Sri Lanka from being a country in violent conflict to a situation of relative peace. The Parties have further reiterated their commitment to continue to seek a final and negotiated settlement to the conflict that has plagued the country for the last 19 years.

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• A Background for Our Appeal
  
• The Need for International Action
  
• Assistance to Returning IDPs
  
• The Needs of Children and Women
  
• The Need for Dignified Livelihood
  
• Relevant information on SIHRN
  >> Final Comments
  
• Annex 1: Guiding Principles for Implementation of Activities
  

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While the guns are silent and the population of the North and East have experienced some degree of return towards normalcy, they continue to live in an undignified situation of deprivation and want.

The "Sub-Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs in the North and East" share the view that in moving the peace process forward the population of the North and East must experience a substantial dividend of peace. As mentioned above, we are, however, strongly aware that the Government of Sri Lanka does not have the resources for these immediately required humanitarian and rehabilitation interventions.

We – the "Sub-Committee on Immediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation Needs in the North and East" - therefore appeal to the international community for support. We want to meet some of these urgent needs of our population, and we would like to demonstrate that in spite of what has taken place over these many years, co-operation for the benefit of the people of this island is possible.