§ Lord Mountevansasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the current situation in Sri Lanka, and whether they will report on the recent massacres of civilians in the north and east of the country.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)We condemn the recent brutal massacres of civilians which have taken place especially those in villages in the north and east of Sri Lanka. These outrages bear all the hallmarks of operations carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LCIE) and deserve the condemnation of the entire international community. We deplore the loss of life and destruction resulting from this conflict, and urge both the Government and the LTTE to take all possible steps to avoid further civilian casualties.
We continue to believe that a lasting solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka can be achieved only through a sustainable political settlement, reached through peaceful negotiation. The Government of Sri Lanka have put forward wide-ranging proposals for constitutional reform, which we believe could provide the basis for a negotiated settlement acceptable to all Sri Lankans. We urge all who are concerned to see a lasting and peaceful settlement to the conflict to make every effort to persuade the LTTE, to respond positively to the constitutional opportunities now emerging.