Fed: Sri Lankan govt should talk and Tamils lay down guns: Smith

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2009
Fed: Sri Lankan govt should talk and Tamils lay down guns: Smith

By Andrea Hayward

PERTH, April 13 AAP - Australia is again urging the Sri Lankan government to enter
into political dialogue and the Tamil Tigers to "lay down their guns" to resolve their
deadly conflict.

Sri Lanka's government says it is in the final stages of defeating the separatist Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who launched a campaign in 1972 to create a separate Tamil homeland
on the Indian Ocean island.

But the government is under pressure to agree to a ceasefire, amid claims 3,500 civilians
have been killed in the first three months of 2009 alone.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said he welcomed a so-called holiday truce
between the government and the separatists.

"We again urge all concerned to respect the civil and humanitarian rights of civilians
caught up in the conflict, to enable humanitarian assistance to be rendered and urge the
Sri Lankan government to not just embark on a military campaign but to understand that
this dispute can only be resolved by political dialogue," Mr Smith told reporters in Perth
on Monday.

"The Australian government has consistently said that we want to see a cessation of
hostilities in Sri Lanka, we want humanitarian law to be respected," he said.

"We've previously called on the Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms and called upon
the Sri Lankan government resolve these matters not just by military means but political
dialogue."

Three Tamil men have begun a hunger strike in a western Sydney shopping mall as part
of a global campaign for a ceasefire between the Sri Lankan army and the Tamil Tigers.

With support from hundreds of local Tamil people, the three men began the hunger strike
in Parramatta's Church Street Mall at 5pm (AEST) on Saturday.

About 1,500 Tamil protesters have also gathered outside Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's
Sydney residence, Kirribilli.

Mr Smith said the demonstrations in Australia had been very peaceful.

"All the advice I have is that the demonstration outside Kirribilli over the weekend
was very peaceful," he said.

"I've had demonstrations outside my own electorate office and they are very peaceful
and civilised and we urge that to continue.

"And of course we want people, if they are making a point, to make their point peacefully
and in a civilised manner.

"And I'd certainly urge anyone contemplating a hunger strike not to go on a hunger
strike on this or any other matter."

AAP ah/apm

KEYWORD: SRILANKA AUST SMITH

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