Release civilians held as human shield, UN tells LTTE

The United Nations on Friday called on the LTTE to allow civilians in the Vanni region to move into government controlled areas without keeping them as a human shield in the face of military advance.

The appeal made by John Holmes, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, also called on the government to receive newly displaced people according to internationally agreed principles.

There are increasing reports of over 100,000 Tamil civilians, including women and children and the aged, being forcibly prevented from entering the safety of Government controlled areas in the North, to be used as human shield against Security Forces advancing in the LTTE held areas of the Mullaitivu district, where the LTTE is confined to now.

The Government has made special arrangements to accommodate civilians who flee the LTTE hold and come into areas under its control. Over a thousand such civilians have escaped into Government held areas in recent weeks.

The text of the statement issued by the United Nations, New York on January 16, 2009.

“The United Nations is increasingly concerned for the wellbeing of tens of thousands of civilians caught up in the conflict raging in the northern Vanni area of Sri Lanka. As fighting surrounds the areas towards which families have been displaced, and with few choices about where to move, they are increasingly susceptible to harm due to the fighting.

While they have had access to basic food, in large part due to the Government and the UN assistance transported through the lines of fighting, they have few if any reserves and the conditions of their basic shelter, water and sanitation are increasingly inadequate as many have been displaced multiple times over the last months, weeks and days.

In accordance with International Humanitarian Law, the United Nations calls upon the LTTE to allow civilians to be able to move freely to areas where they feel most secure and for the Government to receive newly displaced people according to internationally agreed principles. In addition, the UN calls for civilians to be protected from the fighting and for civilians to continue to have access to basic humanitarian assistance.”