The British government has not yet decided on freezing aid to Colombo, though discussions are on for the payment of a 1.5 million pound package.
A DNA Analysis
NEW DELHI: The deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka is worrying British lawmakers, with many of them calling for a freeze on aid to the island nation, in an effort to pressurise Colombo to rein in its military.
However the government has not yet decided on freezing aid to Colombo, though discussions are on for the payment of a 1.5million pound package, scheduled to be released soon. Britain is hoping to use this to bring home to President Mahinda Rajapakse’s government that militarist approach will not lead to a settlement.
The Asian Centre for Human Rights, has applauded Britain’s action: “This is the most significant step taken so far to address flagrant and systematic human rights violations by the Sri Lankan security forces, killing of the aid workers with impunity and continued threat to the human rights defenders and humanitarian workers by the vigilante groups with the sanction of the Sri Lankan state, Suhas Chakma, director of the rights group said in a statement on Friday.
Britain’s junior foreign office minister Kim Howells, speaking at a discussion on the situation in Sri Lanka, spoke of the violence and bloodshed in the island, with thousands of civilians caught in the cross fire between the security forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
“We have over the past year seen worsening violence. Extra-judicial killings, disappearances, intimidation and violence by paramilitary groups are all too common. The violence has fuelled an atmosphere of extreme mistrust and polarisation, which has fuelled further antagonism and violence,’’ the minister said.
Speaking of Britain’s own experience in Northern Ireland, Howells said. “…For example, we learned the hard way that a focus on security can get us only so far. A lasting peace can come only if the underlying causes of conflict are addressed. In Sri Lanka, that means focusing on a credible framework for a negotiated settlement.’’ To put it bluntly the minister advised the President from taking a narrow militarist view.
According to British estimates there are more than 100,000 displaced persons in the eastern district of Batticaloa and hundreds more arrive every day.
“In the past few weeks, bus bombings have killed dozens of people simply going about their daily business. These are despicable terrorist acts that are totally without justification,” Howells said.
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