LTTE defeated, says think-tank
An estimated 150,000 civilians are trapped in an ever shrinking
space, forcibly held back by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE),
the International Crisis Group (ICG) said, EuAsiaNews yesterday.
In a report on Monday, the ICG said the Sri Lankan military has
already achieved its military objectives and essentially won the war.
The Brussels-based think-tank said: “The Sri Lankan government must hold
off on the final assault to allow adequate supplies of food, water and
medical aid to reach the civilian population and to let those civilians
who wish to leave to do so.”
“The LTTE has been defeated and must surrender,” the ICG said, adding
that the group’s current actions demonstrated its “utter disregard for
the Tamil people”.
“The international community should send its strongest possible
messages to the LTTE that it must negotiate a surrender. In exchange,
key international parties should commit to supervise the surrender and
to guarantee the physical protection of any surrendered fighters.”
On the other hand, if the LTTE continues to use civilians as a human
shield and forcibly recruit children and adults, the report suggests
that its leadership should face international justice for its serious
war crimes. International leaders, in particular the UN
secretary-general, Indian prime minister and the president of the US,
must press for these actions immediately, the ICG stressed.
IANS |