‘Crisis unfolding’ in Sri Lanka

[ BBC ] A major humanitarian crisis is unfolding in northern Sri Lanka, with a quarter of a million people trapped by fighting, the Red Cross says. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) estimates that hundreds of people have been killed in fighting between troops and separatist rebels. It called on both sides…

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Civilians fleeing Sri Lanka fighting have no safe passage: ICRC

[AFP] Tens of thousands of people are on the run because of fighting between troops and Tamil rebels in northern Sri Lanka where civilians have no safe passage, the Red Cross said Friday. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was “extremely concerned” that the warring parties had not agreed on a…

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Fears grow for Sri Lanka Civilians

[Al Jazeera] Aid organisations say a major humanitarian crisis is unfolding in northern Sri Lanka where government forces are engaged in fierce fighting with Tamil Tiger rebels. Around 350,000 Tamil civilians are crammed into the area where fighting is taking place, forcing them to endure heavy bombardments and acute food shortages. Foreign journalists are prevented…

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‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’

[IPS] The eight rows of pews at St. Fatima’s church in Colombo were mostly empty despite the festive look from Christmas decorations. Beside the altar a young man with a receding hairline was setting up a slideshow on the plight of the tens of thousands displaced in war-torn northern Sri Lanka, run to the accompaniment…

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