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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 1

Written Answers. - Human Rights Abuses.

Emmet Stagg

Question:

12 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the contacts, if any, he has had with the Sri Lankan authorities regarding human rights abuses in that country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22378/97]

I wish at the outset to express the Government's deep concern at the appalling loss of life which has been taking place in Sri Lanka over the past 14 years. This has been caused by the conflict between the central authorities and the group called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, also known as the Tamil Tigers. The suffering of all the people of Sri Lanka and the damage caused to the country's infrastructure and economic development has been truly immense.

Since the latest resumption of hostilities in April 1995, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and her People's Alliance Government have pursued two concurrent strategies in order to reach a durable settlement to the ethnic conflict with the Tamil people. She has attempted to seek support in parliament for constitutional changes aimed at a form of devolution for the Tamil areas which might satisfy Tamil demands for autonomy and independence. At the same time, Mrs. Kumaratunga has sought by military means to weaken the effectiveness of the Tamil Tigers guerilla movement. Allegations have been made of human rights abuses in the Tamil areas under government control but — in the absence of international involvement — these are not well documented. What is certainly true, however, is that the suffering caused to the many civilians displaced as a result of the conflict has been very great. The International Committee of the Red Cross reported ealier this year that up to 40 per cent of the population in the Vanni region alone — amounting to as many as 400,000 people — had been forced to leave their homes and were classified as displaced persons. There have also been several terrorist bombings in the capital Colombo and elsewhwere which have added to the civilian death toll.

The Sri Lankan Government has not sought the assistance of outside parties for the purpose of mediation in the current dispute — although it has had discussions with the Indian Government because of the many connections which exist between the Tamil populations of Sri Lanka and the neighbouring Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It does not, however, view the conflict as one requiring international involvement, nor has it raised the matter at the United Nations in New York or Geneva.
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