Click to play videoNew Delhi: Sri Lanka’s Human Rights and Disaster Management Minister Mahindra Samarasinghe spoke to CNN-IBN about the limitations, compulsions and expanse of the work done in the war zone to ensure relief and aid to civilians.
Samarasinghe spoke about how Sri Lanka is doing its best to ensure that civilians do not suffer in the conflict between the LTTE cadres and the Sri Lankan army.
On the issue of international monitoring to ensure that civilians are not killed in the crossfire, Samarasinghe said that there is no scope to allow anyone to venture out into the strife-torn areas.
On security of social workers
There is fighting taking place there. We have to consider the security of these people. We cannot just let these humanitarian workers to go there and be slaughtered. There have been incidents of people going there and getting killed.
On granting general amnesty
The Attorney General’s department is studying the idea of granting general amnesty to the rank and file of the LTTE because we feel these people can be rehabilitated and reintegrated because they had been forced into the ranks of the LTTE. But as far as the leadership is concerned, the laws of the land will be put into place.
On relief for civilians
We are looking at about 50,000 families and about 2,00,000 people. They are being housed at the moment in abandoned government buildings. There has been no starvation. We have ensured that even at the height of the conflict food, non-food items as well as medical supplies have been going in, including infant food and milk. So, special attention has been given. In fact UNICEF has put out a report recently commending the health authorities of Sri Lanka for meeting very high standards of health, even in the conflict areas.
UN on civilians in war zone
The UN assessment has not been made in the way it has been described. No one has said that there has been starvation. But there are from time to time, challenges in the form of under-nourished children etc, which is being addressed. But that is there in any developing country.
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