United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon on Sunday welcomed the Sri Lankan government's decision to observe two-day ceasefire and asked the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to take "concrete and immediate" steps to protect civilians by respecting the pause for its full duration.
"During this period, civilians wishing to leave the conflict zone should be allowed to do so without any hindrance and should then be treated fully in accordance with international standards and principles. In particular the LTTE must allow civilians to choose whether they stay or leave," Ban said in a statement, hours after the Sri Lankan government announced a two-day pause in the military operations against the LTTE in view of Sinhala and Tamil New Year day.
He said the pause declared by Sri Lanka is less than the full humanitarian pause of several days he had demanded but nevertheless said it was a "useful first step and an opportunity to move towards the peaceful and orderly end to fighting now "badly needed."
The United Nations, he said, has been in discussions with the government of Sri Lanka and other parties concerned to explore ways in which the suffering of innocent people in the Vanni region can be brought to an end or lessened.
