Co-chairs of peace pull Sri Lanka up for soaring violence

Co-chairs of Sri Lanka’s peace process have rapped the government and Tamil Tiger rebels for escalating violence, warning that it could erode international support.











Co-chairs of Sri Lanka’s peace process have rapped the government and Tamil Tiger rebels for escalating violence, warning that it could erode international support.

The European Union, Japan, Norway and the United States said Tuesday that escalating violence was resulting in a spate of killings on both sides and from other political groups.

“Unless security is guaranteed, a central pillar of the Ceasefire Agreement will be undermined.

If the Ceasefire Agreement ceases to function, the wider peace process would be gravely jeopardized and international support for that process would be deeply eroded,” the Co-chairs said in a statement.

The Co-chairs also called on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to stop killings on its side and for government paramilitary troops to disarm.

“The Sri Lankan government, in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement, must ensure that all paramilitary groups are disarmed and prevented from any activity that might lead to acts of violence.

The gove