Green light to rid Tigers while 50,000 lives at risk, Boyle faults US, UK

[TamilNet, Thursday, 07 May 2009, 04:33 GMT]
"US. UK, France and India appear to have given green light to Sri Lanka to get rid of the Tigers no matter what the cost is to the 50,000 lives of innocent Tamils at risk now. Let's get back to the need to change that green light to a red light, and let's solve the humanitarian crisis first, and then talk about some sort of solution," said Francis Boyle, professor of International Law at the University of Illinois College of Law, during an interview with Aljazeera network Wednesday. Eric Solheim, key architect of the 2002 peace process in Sri Lanka, and Nirj Deva, a Member of European Parliament and of Sri Lankan origin also participated in the discussions.

Dismissing talks of who holds the military upperhand as "petty and insulting," Boyle stressed the need for immediate humanitarian intervention.

"50,000 people are bombarded, killed and are starving to death. We need to act immediately to remedy the situation. Immediate ceasefire, and massive humanitarian help via air, sea and land," is what's needed, Boyle said.

Mr Solheim said both sides must act to resolve the crisis, the Tigers should allow the civilians to leave the area, and Colombo to allow humanitarian aid to go in and permit UN relief agencies to engage in relief effort.

Mr Deva took the official line of the Sri Lanka Government, describing the unfolding humanitarian crisis as one of "largest ever evacuation of hostages."

Chronology:


External Links:

Aljazeera:		Sri Lanka's continuing bloodshed - 05 Apr 09 - Part 1
Aljazeera:		Sri Lanka's continuing bloodshed - 05 Apr 09 - Part 2