By IANS,
Colombo : Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown has appointed his former defence minister Des Browne as his special envoy for Sri Lanka to focus on “the immediate humanitarian situation” in the island’s north, the British high commission here said.
“In this new role, Des Browne will focus on the immediate humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka and the Government of Sri Lanka’s work to set out a political solution to bring about a lasting end to the conflict,” it said in a statement Thursday.
Browne, as special envoy, would work closely with the government and leaders from all communities in its former colony, international agencies and the wider international community.
“I am looking forward to contributing to UK efforts to improve the serious humanitarian situation and liaising with all parties that may have a role to play in taking forward work on a sustainable political solution,” the statement quoted Des Browne as saying after the appointment.
His appointment as special envoy for humanitarian situation in the north has come amid mounting international concern over the plight of thousands of civilians trapped in the war-zone.
Amid heavy clashes in the northeastern Mullaitivu district, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it has evacuated over 600 sick and wounded civilians from the LTTE-held (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) area using a ferry Tuesday and Thursday.
The ICRC said with the consent of both the government and LTTE, an ICRC-charted ferry carried sick and wounded civilians from Puthumathalan, a narrow coastal strip under the control of the Tamil Tiger rebels in Mullaitivu district, to the eastern port city of Trincomalee.
Sri Lankan military Thursday declared a new “Civilian Safety Zone” saying that it was in response “to the worsening plight of thousands of civilians held hostage” by the LTTE.
Browne, 57, who is currently a parliament member for Scotland, has held several ministerial positions in the past, including chief secretary to the Treasury, secretary of state for defence and secretary of state for Scotland.
He was the only cabinet minister to have retained his position as secretary of state for defence after Gordon Brown reshuffled the cabinet upon becoming prime minister in June 2007.
There was no official reaction from the government of Sri Lanka regarding his appointment.