lanka

Jan Egeland

Sri Lanka: Top UN relief official calls on Government, rebels to protect civilians

27 April 2006
With violence intensifying between the Government and Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka, the top United Nations relief official today called on both sides to ensure full protection of civilians on the Indian Ocean island, where over 300,000 people have already been uprooted from their homes by the conflict.

Annan condemns Sri Lanka bombing as 'atrocious' and totally inexcusable

25 April 2006
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today strongly condemned the “atrocious” suicide bombing at a military installation in Sri Lanka which killed several army personnel and civilians and seriously wounded the army chief, and called on the Government and Tamil separatists to resume peace talks.

As violence escalates in Sri Lanka, Annan appeals to parties to attend peace talks

12 April 2006
Expressing concern at the escalating violence in Sri Lanka, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today appealed to the Government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to attend next week’s peace talks in Geneva, while the senior UN official on the island said the latest killings of aid workers could threaten humanitarian operations to those most in need.
UNHCR chief António Guterres

Drop in refugees from Sri Lanka shows progress towards peace: UN official

21 February 2006
Ahead of Wednesday’s peace talks on Sri Lanka between Tamil Tiger separatists and the Government, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said today that the drop in the number of Sri Lankans fleeing regional insecurity showed that all people on the island want an end to the 20-year conflict.

UN agency calls on Sri Lanka separatists to stop recruiting child soldiers

14 February 2006
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today urged Tamil separatists in strife-torn Sri Lanka to stop recruiting child soldiers and release those already in their ranks.

UN agencies call for release of aid workers abducted in Sri Lanka

2 February 2006
Deploring the reported abduction of 10 humanitarian aid workers on the troubled island of Sri Lanka, United Nations officials in the country today called for their immediate release, saying they had “the right to respect and protection from harm.”

Violence ebbs in Sri Lanka but tensions still persist – UN agency

31 January 2006
Violence in Sri Lanka has ebbed since the Government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) last week agreed to hold new talks, but scores of people continue leaving the southern part of the country for India, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) reported today.

Sri Lanka: Annan hails new talks, calls on both sides to observe ceasefire

25 January 2006
Welcoming news that Sri Lanka’s Government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have agreed to hold direct talks next month, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on both sides to strictly observe the ceasefire on the troubled island.

Officials gather in Sri Lanka for UN workshop on environmental treaties

21 January 2006
To help government officials comply with the surge in multilateral environmental pacts that cover everything from biodiversity to hazardous wastes, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) is hosting a workshop in Sri Lanka this weekend.

As refugees start to flee Sri Lanka, UN refugee agency warns of new violence

20 January 2006
The United Nations Refugee agency (UNHCR) said today that its staff in Sri Lanka reports a “trickle” of refugees fleeing to India in fishing boats, raising concerns about the deterioration of the security situation in Sri Lanka.