Stephen's views on the conflict in Sri Lanka

The Liberal Democrats have strongly urged the Government to take immediate and affirmative action to resolve the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka. Now that the conflict has ended, I believe that UK efforts must now be focussed on helping to relieve the destitution of the many thousands of people in northern Sri Lanka who have lost their homes as a result of the conflict.

Prior to the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE or 'Tamil Tigers') by the Sri Lankan Government, the Liberal Democrats used one of our rare opposition day debates, on 29th April, to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka and call for an immediate ceasefire. Opening the debate, my Liberal Democrat colleague and Shadow Foreign Secretary Edward Davey MP called for access for humanitarian assistance, human rights monitors and members of the international media throughout the conflict zone. He also called on the Government to make it clear that all sides proved to have committed war crimes in this conflict will be liable for prosecution. He emphasised that, "no one in the House is taking sides... I believe that we are united in opposition to human rights abuses and violence whoever perpetrates them."

Mr Davey spoke of the situation in Mullaitivu, where the remaining Tamil Tiger forces are based. He said that according to some agencies there are 120,000 civilians in this area, who are living in very difficult conditions with little food and water, limited medical supplies and inadequate shelter. He referred to warnings from the Red Cross of the danger of an epidemic and severe malnutrition. Addressing reports of violence against civilians my colleague said, "there is little doubt that heavy shelling of the no-fire zones, which is where the civilians are, has taken place".

My colleague then emphasised the importance of the UN to resolving the conflict. He urged the Prime Minister to make a greater commitment to achieving a resolution in the Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire. He argued the Commonwealth needs to play a greater role in pressuring the Sri Lankan Government to commit to a ceasefire and said that the international community needs to make it clear there will be "personal and political implications for all leaders if they do not stop the fighting." In particular he called for any IMF loan to the Sri Lankan Government to be stalled until sufficient steps have been taken to resolve the conflict.

Another Liberal Democrat colleague of mine, Mr Paul Burstow MP, concluded the debate by reiterating the importance of an immediate ceasefire, saying, "there can be no solution of a military nature to the conflict in Sri Lanka… Military action simply sows the seeds of bitterness and ensures that there can be no reconciliation whatsoever in that country." Mr Burstow noted that the debate had highlighted common cause across the House of Commons: "that there should be peace and justice in Sri Lanka for all the people of that troubled island. The debate has been about trying to make sure that we help facilitate our Government in their efforts to do everything that they can to make that a reality."

Although the Liberal Democrats proposed a motion of our own, we accepted the similar Government motion because we did not want to see the House divided, but rather united by this cause, and the Government's motion contained all the major points that ours contained. The Liberal Democrat motion read:

"That this House is concerned that the fighting in Sri Lanka has already had a devastating effect on hundreds of thousands of civilians, with thousands killed and wounded, and many tens of thousands traumatised and suffering from lack of food, water and basic medicines; believes there is a real danger of an even greater bloodbath in the next few days if a ceasefire is not immediately agreed between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam; further believes that access is vital for humanitarian assistance, human rights monitors and members of the international media throughout the conflict zone and to all internally displaced persons, each of whom must, like every Sri Lankan citizen, have all their internationally recognised rights guaranteed; calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and peace talks; urges the Government energetically to continue and increase its efforts within the United Nations, European Union and Commonwealth and with others to broker a ceasefire; and urges the Government to make it clear to all sides that those who are proved to have committed war crimes in this conflict will be in danger of arrest, prosecution and punishment wherever they go for the rest of their lives."

And the Government motion read:

"That this House strongly supports the efforts of the Government within the United Nations, the European Union, the G8 and other international bodies to bring about an end to the conflict in Sri Lanka, to open the way for an international humanitarian relief effort and to promote a process of political reconciliation; welcomes the £7.5 million the Government has already committed to the relief effort; supports the Foreign Secretary's joint visit to Sri Lanka with his French counterpart; endorses the Government's calls for the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to declare an immediate ceasefire and to allow the civilians trapped in the No Fire Zone to leave unhindered, facilitated by the UN; urges both parties to the conflict to allow full and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid to be safely delivered; supports the Government's efforts to persuade the government of Sri Lanka to allow international oversight of all internally displaced persons, including a transparent registration process and improved conditions within the camps with better access to food, water and medical facilities; urges the government of Sri Lanka to allow freedom of movement in and out of the camps so that families separated by the conflict can be reunited; and endorses the Government's efforts to persuade the government of Sri Lanka to initiate a process of political reconciliation with all speed as the only way of ensuring a lasting peace between the communities."

Just prior to this Liberal Democrat opposition day debate, the Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon David Miliband MP, visited Sri Lanka in order to gain first-hand experience of the crisis there, and upon returning to the UK made the following speech in a debate in the House of Commons on 30th April 2009: "There are in fact two crises: that of the civilians trapped in the conflict zone as the Government enter the final stage of their fight with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam terrorists, and that of the thousands of civilians who have crossed over the front line in recent days. The purpose of the visit was threefold: first, to highlight the need to bring the conflict to an end in a way that minimises further civilian casualties; secondly, to press the case for the humanitarian relief effort to be ratcheted up, as the United Nations and the European Union have been calling for; and, thirdly, to make clear the need for a long-term political settlement that meets the aspirations of all communities in Sri Lanka."

You may be interested to know that I previously wrote to the Foreign Secretary, in order to voice my concerns and those of my constituents to the Foreign Office and to urge the Government to:

a) Make a greater commitment to helping to find a resolution to the conflict in Sri Lanka;

b) Seek a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka;

c) Press the Sri Lankan authorities to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered to the civilians caught in the danger zone who are living in very difficult conditions.

In addition I have signed two separate Early Day Motions on this matter. Firstly on 22nd January 2009 I signed EDM 398, which states: "That this House condemns the violent atrocities in Sri Lanka which have resulted in the deaths of so many civilians, including the shocking murder of Mr Lasantha Wickramatunga and the entrance of armed guards into the offices of the country's largest private television broadcaster; believes that such incidents are a direct attack on press freedom; and calls for the British Government to take urgent action to help secure an immediate ceasefire on the part of all included in these conflicts."

Secondly, on 22nd April 2009 I signed EDM 1311, which states: "That this House notes with concern reports from the International Red Cross that ongoing fighting between Tamil and government forces in Sri Lanka continues to leave a trail of civilian casualties in its wake while depriving access to substantive medical care and hope of evacuation away from areas of conflict; calls on the Sri Lankan government and Tamil forces to work towards a ceasefire to protect the civilian population from further harm as a result of this conflict; and urges the UK Government to work with international partners to do all in its powers to enable full access to humanitarian assistance for the people of Sri Lanka while continuing with exhaustive efforts to achieve a durable ceasefire that will minimise human suffering in that country."

On 17th May 2009 the LTTE were defeated by the Sri Lanka Government, ending the conflict. Now that a ceasefire has been achieved, our attention must now turn to the humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka. I believe we should concentrate our efforts on helping to rehouse the estimated 300,000 Tamils who have been displaced from their homes.

Please be assured that my Liberal Democrat colleagues and I will continue to lobby the Government to take urgent and effective action in order to resolve this humanitarian situation. This is an issue that our Government must continue to raise with their Sri Lanka counterpart.