Law of War workshop for SLN

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 May 2001, 11:34 GMT]
A three-day workshop to the Sri Lanka Navy personnel on the International Humanitarian Law (Law of War) organized by the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) was inaugurated at the Naval Base in Trincomalee Thursday morning. “Sri Lanka Navy Officers attached to the Naval and Maritime Academy are attending the workshop which is about the application of the Law of War to warfare at sea” said Mr. M. Pushparajan, Dissemination officer of the ICRC's Sub Delegation in Trincomalee.

Vice Admiral (retired) Vijay Malhotra of the Indian Navy, Major Major (ret)Tim Yates of the British Army from the ICRC Delegation in New Delhi, which covers the South Asian Region, are conducting the workshop. Mr. Frank Bertelsbeck, Delegate in charge of ICRC's dissemination work in Sri Lanka, Mr.Daniel Schriber, head of the sub delegation in Trincomalee and Mr.Channa Hewawickrema, Dissemination Officer, ICRC Delegation in Colombo are also associated with them in organising and conducting the workshop.

“ICRC takes effort to promote and strengthen the humanitarian laws and principles among the parties to the conflict in accordance with the mandate, which has been received from the States, bound by Geneva Conventions and attempt to minimize the impact of the armed conflicts on the victims of war. The ICRC however has neither obligation nor mandate to make requests to the parties to the conflicts to refrain from fighting” said Mr. Pushparajan.