Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers to blame for “scuttle” in ceasefire agreement

Brad Adams, Director for Asia Programs at Human Rights Watch (HRW) says the “scuttle” in the ceasefire agreement in Sri Lanka is due to both sides failure to uphold humanitarian law. He shares his insights on the recent report issued by HRW entitled: War on the Displaced: Sri Lankan Army and LTTE abuses Against Civilians in the Vanni.

The report chronicles a twenty-five year war has resulted in little negotiation to ease the current conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The report highlights that both parties have “committed serious violations of international humanitarian law with respect to the conduct of hostilities.”

A victory was declared by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in May. Yet the current crisis has trapped or displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians seeking to escape LTTE controlled areas.

(audio and video on website)

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download