pearlaction

Sri Lankans in ‘Safe Zone’ Still Under Fire

By pearlaction | February 18, 2009 |

[OneWorld.net] In a designated safe zone in northern Sri Lanka, weekend fighting has put civilians back in the war zone. A new “safe zone” has provided some respite for tens of thousands of local residents, reports the United Nations, but that area also experienced some fighting in the past several days. “The Sri Lankan government…

38 civilians killed in Sri Lankan war

By pearlaction | February 18, 2009 |

[CBC News] At least 38 civilians have been killed and 140 others wounded in government artillery attacks and air raids on a tiny rebel-controlled territory in Sri Lanka, a health official says. The attack was carried out in an area that included a government designated “no-fire zone,” said Dr. Thurairaja Varatharaja, who works in the…

UN Envoy On Humanitarian Affairs To Arrive In Sri Lanka

By pearlaction | February 18, 2009 |

[AFP] The U.N.’s top envoy for humanitarian affairs John Holmes will arrive in Colombo on Thursday to assess Sri Lanka’s relief operations in its conflict zone, the government said. The visit comes after U.N.-appointed experts expressed concern earlier this month over “rapidly deteriorating conditions” facing civilians affected by the war between government troops and Tamil…

India-Sri Lanka accord sabotaged by governments in Colombo: Kumaratunga

By pearlaction | February 18, 2009 |

[India eNews] Successive governments in Colombo have spiked the provisions of the 1987 India-Sri Lanka accord aimed at devolving powers to provinces in the island nation, former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga has said. Had the devolution of powers taken place earlier, Sri Lanka’s dragging ethnic conflict might have ended a long time ago, Kumaratunga…

Tamil Americans to hold rally in Washington

By pearlaction | February 18, 2009 |

[The Hindu] Tamils in the US will hold a demonstration in front of the State Department and the White House here on Friday protesting against the “genocide” against their community in Sri Lanka. ‘Tamils Against Genocide’, a pro-Tamils organisation, will organise a rally and hunger strike to urge US President Mr Barack Obama to bring…