Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-18-Speech-4-235"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20000518.10.4-235"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, the Commission is as concerned as honourable Members about the tragic and dramatic civil war which has been continuing for the past 17 years, a civil war which seriously affects the whole population of Sri Lanka. It is salutary to recall that over 60 000 people have been killed during the course of this conflict – people in both ethnic groups.
We all hope that it ends very soon. If we can contribute to the work being done by the Norwegian and Indian governments to help bring the parties together, we would be happy to do so.
We appreciate the efforts being made in Sri Lanka to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict but we also reiterate, as I am sure all honourable Members would, our concerns for the respect of the basic rules of international humanitarian law.
The Commission shares the concerns of the European Parliament regarding the latest developments in and around Jaffna. On 15 May, the presidency issued a declaration on Sri Lanka. This called on both parties, firstly, to cease hostilities and to begin negotiations; secondly, to ensure the safety of the civilian population and, thirdly, to cooperate with the Norwegian government in its endeavours to facilitate a negotiated settlement of the conflict.
I should like to say in passing that I would like to express my own appreciation of the role played by the Norwegian government, which regularly reminds us by its behaviour on the international stage what we are all missing in the European Union on account of the Norwegian people’s referendum decision.
The presidency declaration also rightly called on the government to lift as soon as possible the restrictions on civil liberties and press freedom, which have been introduced under the emergency regulations.
As for our support for rehabilitation in the north and east of the island, a viable political solution has to be found and a measure of peace established before we could consider a major role in this process. That is fairly clear and understandable.
Assistance in favour of refugees and internally displaced persons will continue naturally to be given through the UNHCR and non-governmental organisations.
The European Commission will continue to provide emergency humanitarian aid to populations affected by the conflict. Through our delegation in Colombo, we are following closely the impact of the situation on the civilian population and we are in permanent contact with the ICRC, the UNHCR and the main NGOs.
I last visited Sri Lanka in the late 1980s. I flew into Jaffna – I think I was the first minister from anywhere to do so – in the back of an Indian helicopter gunship. Alas, 12, 13 years later, the violence continues. It has been a terrible blight on one of the most beautiful countries in the world, with some of the most talented people. We are reminded of Sri Lanka’s potential, which we heard about earlier, through the occasionally accurate words of senior minister Lee Kuan Yew. That is a reminder of what has been missed in Sri Lanka as a result of this violence."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples