Category: Politics
UN calls for pause in Sri Lanka fighting to allow aid in
GENEVA, April 17, 2009 (AFP) – The United Nations on Friday renewed its call for a pause in fighting between Tamil Tiger rebels and government troops in order to allow civilians trapped by the conflict to flee.“UNICEF is calling for a ceasefire and for a humanitarian pause which allows humanitarian workers to access the conflict […]
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LONDON, April 15, 2009 (AFP) – The British and French foreign ministers said Wednesday that Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka are using civilians as human shields, which was preventing them from leaving the conflict zone. Miliband and Kouchner urged both sides to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and to do everything […]
Sri Lanka advances on Tigers amid international pressure
April 16, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka said Thursday it had made fresh advances into the area still held by Tamil Tiger rebels, ignoring global calls for a truce to rescue thousands of civilians trapped by the fighting. Arguing the civilians were being used as a human shield, the island’s defence ministry said its forces […]
Sri Lankan troops, Tigers trade fire as ceasefire ends
April 15, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops resumed their offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels in the northeast at the end of a 48-hour ceasefire, the two sides said early Wednesday.The government had wanted the Tigers to free civilians during the break in fighting, but military officials said there was no large exodus over the […]
Heavy fighting resumes in Sri Lanka
April 15, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops resumed their all-out offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north of the island on Wednesday following a brief holiday ceasefire, officials said. They were also consolidating positions in recently captured areas, and on Tuesday recovered several surface to air missiles and hundreds of landmines stored by […]
Sri Lanka fighting resumes after ceasefire
April 15, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan security forces resumed their offensive against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north of the island on Wednesday following a brief holiday ceasefire, the two sides said.The navy attacked two Tamil Tiger boats that tried to approach the coastline on Wednesday, killing at least 10 guerrillas, navy spokesman Captain […]
Sri Lankan rebels say ready for truce, peace talks
April 14, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels said Tuesday they were ready to negotiate a ceasefire with government forces and restart peace talks to halt decades of ethnic bloodshed.The government said it hoped that non-combatants would be able to leave a narrow strip of coastal jungle where they are allegedly held hostage […]
Sri Lanka strips Norway of peace-broker role: official
April 13, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Monday stripped Norway of its role as broker of the island’s moribund peace process, a government official told AFP. Sri Lanka formally invited the Scandanavian nation to act as peace broker in January 2000, and Oslo managed to secure a ceasefire between the government and rebels which […]
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SYDNEY, April 13, 2009 (AFP) – Hundreds of Tamil protesters staged a rally outside Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s official Sydney residence Monday calling for a lasting ceasefire in Sri Lanka. About 300 demonstrators gathered outside Kirribilli House and nearby Admiralty House, the governor-general’s residence, to urge the Australian government to call for Colombo to […]
Sri Lankan military begins two-day ceasefire
April 13, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan security forces began a two-day ceasefire on Monday, as the government called for the cornered Tamil Tiger rebels to allow thousands of civilians to flee the conflict zone. The Tigers, who are accused of holding the civilians hostage, have suffered months of battlefield setbacks that could finally end […]
Tamil protestors storm Sri Lankan embassy in Norway
OSLO, April 12, 2009 (AFP) – A group of Tamil protesters stormed the Sri Lankan embassy in Oslo Sunday, police said, on the fifth day of demonstrations in the Norwegian capital calling for the end of fighting in Sri Lanka.Even Joerstad, an Oslo police superintendent, told AFP that around 100 Tamil demonstrators tried to storm […]
Sri Lanka declares 48-hour ceasefire in civil war
April 12, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s president on Sunday ordered government troops to halt their offensive against cornered Tamil rebels over the two-day Sinhala and Tamil New Year that starts on Monday. The brief ceasefire is also aimed at allowing more civilians to escape from the remaining rebel-held territory and seek shelter in a […]