'Protect civilians' in conflict zones
The London based human rights watchdog, Amnesty International, has urged warring parties in Sri Lanka to take immediate steps to protect civilians caught in the conflict.
The rights group says it is seriously concerned on the affect of the war on civilians as a result of “deliberate attacks” by Sri Lanka security forces and the LTTE. The AI has urged parties to “comply with their obligations under international law, to protect civilians and allow access by humanitarian aid agencies to populations in need”. “Unlawful killings, abductions and enforced disappearance of civilians are daily occurrences, as is arbitrary detention,” the AI said in a statement. 'Systematic violation' The watchdog has accused both Sri Lanka security forces and the Tamil Tigers of “systematically violating” their obligations under international law to protect civilians affected by the conflict. “In the last month conflict has led to the displacement of at least 80,000 civilians doubling the existing IDP population in Batticaloa District to over 160,000. Fearful and facing acute insecurity, many of these IDPs are experiencing food shortages. Water shortages are severe forcing families to attempt to dig their own wells. In one incident, on 3 March 2007 a child drowned in a water hole that her mother was attempting to dig,” the statement added. The parties to the conflict were urged to allow access to the humanitarian aid agencies to help civilians affected. “Aid agencies report that prior to the latest military offensive in March, the government as well as the LTTE severely restricted access to Batticaloa District and other conflict areas under their control, leaving tens of thousands of new IDPs, and large numbers of other affected populations, without adequate international protection and access to humanitarian assistance. In this context civilians are at grave risk of being caught up in apparently indiscriminate artillery bombardments by both sides, or subjected to deliberate reprisal killings”. Caught up in violence The Tamil Tigers, are also accused of targeting civilians in various ways, according to the rights group. “The LTTE has reportedly been responsible for numerous political killings and indiscriminate bomb attacks, and continues to forcibly recruit child soldiers. The group has prevented civilians from fleeing areas of combat in the north and east”. The Sri Lanka government was accused of failing to bring into justice those responsible for gross human rights violations. “Existing national human rights monitoring and investigative mechanisms do not presently have the capacity to deal with large scale human rights violations. Sri Lanka's Human Rights Commission says hundreds of people have 'disappeared' so far this year, on top of 1,000 last year. At the international level, Sri Lanka has 5749 outstanding cases being reviewed by the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, several hundred of which have been reported since the beginning of 2006”. The watchdog has urged the government to allow international rights monitors on the ground to enhance civilian protection. “This is necessary due to the failure of domestic remedies for human rights violations - whether committed by the government, the LTTE, or other armed groups,” the AI said.