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U.S. "Gravely Concerned" About Violations of Sri Lanka Ceasefire

06 December 2005

Department of State appeals to government, rebels to uphold cease-fire

The United States says it is gravely concerned about persistent violations of the Sri Lankan cease-fire in recent weeks and has condemned a Sri Lankan rebel attack that killed seven soldiers December 4.

"We call on both the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) to take immediate action to prevent violence and to uphold the terms of the Ceasefire Agreement," a December 5 statement by State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said.

In 2002, the Sri Lankan government and LTTE rebels signed a cease-fire in a decades-long civil war that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.

Following is the text of Ereli's statement:

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
December 5, 2005

STATEMENT BY ADAM ERELI, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN

Sri Lanka - Violations of the Ceasefire Agreement

The United States remains gravely concerned about persistent violations of the Ceasefire Agreement, particularly over the past few weeks.

We condemn the December 4 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) attack in Jaffna on a Sri Lanka Army vehicle that caused the deaths of seven soldiers.  Such violence is inconsistent with LTTE claims to be committed to the peace process.

We call on both the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to take immediate action to prevent violence and to uphold the terms of the Ceasefire Agreement.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)