International action needed on Sri Lanka (Southwark Liberal Democrats)

Southwark Liberal Democrats <info@southwark-libdems.org.uk>

International action needed on Sri Lanka

May 14, 2009 3:00 PM
Originally published by Simon Hughes MP

Simon Hughes, Vice-Chair of All Party Parliamentary Group on Tamils in the House of Commons, has today called for international action within 48 hours to go to the rescue of civilian children, men and women caught in the besieged coastal strip of the north east coast of Sri Lanka.

Speaking in the topical debate in the House of Commons this afternoon, Simon expressed his anger, despair and desperation that the international community had been able to do so little after so long.

Mr Hughes asked the government if they would immediately ask the USA to make public all aerial and satellite photos which would reveal who had been using which weapons in the conflict zone. Together with other MPs Mr Hughes also called for other immediate action by the British government. He asked for the UK and all other EU and Commonwealth countries and the USA to summon Sri Lankan ambassadors and high commissioners to call for an immediate halt to military action and safe passage for water, food and aid to everybody in the conflict zone.

Mr Hughes also asked the UK to lead in assembling an international relief operation to go onshore in Sri Lanka after 48 hours if the Sri Lankan government have not previously agreed to an immediate and full international relief operation.

"Sri Lanka should be in no doubt, if the government of Sri Lanka does not behave like a civilised democracy and follow the international rule of law they will be isolated among the nations of the civilised world. For many people it is already too late, but action now might just save the most terrible situation from becoming a complete catastrophe."