Update from UN Spokesperson on growing Sri Lanka violence

The Secretary-General spoke today at Princeton University on a new multilateralism, a major push against poverty, countering terrorism, and an effective global non-proliferation program. In Sri Lanka, emergency response has sped up. Many civilians are displaced. The goal is to separate ex-combatants and the civilian population. The UN urges both parties engaged in the conflict to uphold international law. An estimated over 4,500 civilians have been killed in fighting over the past three months between the government and Tamil Tigers rebels. But concerns are growing as the conflict is causing much distress to the estimated 100,000 ethnic Tamil civilians in the rebel-controlled territory.

Health officials in the war zone estimate at least five children are dying every day from diarrhea and malnutrition. The fighting has made the delivery of food aid nearly impossible, and food stocks have dwindled as the war zone was virtually cut off from the rest of the country over the past months.  This week, Ban Ki-moon sent his chief of staff, Vijay Nambiar, to Sri Lanka to discuss the fate of civilians and efforts to free them from the war zone. Nambiar is asking for a ceasefire and to allow for Tamil Tigers to allow civilians trapped in the conflict to leave freely.

The Secretary-General will head this weekend to the 5th summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago. He will underscore sustainability. According to Ban Ki-Moon, the global economic crisis will lead to a full global political upheaval if not resolved. He will also stress the need to protect indigenous populations.

United Nations forces in Darfur continue to observe the camps amidst increased attacks on UN vehicles and shipments. On Somalia, the Secretary General’s special representative has condemned recent killings in the country and piracy on the coast. There will be a donor conference on Somalia next week. On the Ivory Coast, a new report found a rapid increase in violence by military commanders and armed opposition groups over natural resources.