SRI LANKA UN

Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes visits Sri Lanka

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes during a photo opportunity at the Foreign Ministry in Colombo 27 April 2009. Sir John Holmes is on a three day visit to the island nation to discuss relief and safety measures for the thousands of civilians rescued by the military from the conflict zone in the north-east of the country. Held hostage by retreating Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) the more than 100,000 civilians were able to enter government controlled areas 20 April after the military breached one of the last earth bunds put up by the separatists to thwart their advance. The civilian exodus has raised international concern and demands for a ceasefire. Today, the Sri Lankan government issued a statement saying that combat operations have ceased and that only civilian rescue operations were ongoing. It has instructed the military to end the use of heavy caliber guns, combat aircraft and aerial weapons which could cause civilian causalities, the statement added. EPA/M.A.PUSHPA KUMARA

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