By IANS,
London : A leading member of the European Parliament says the situation in Sri Lanka is now so critical that the UN must send a peacekeeping mission to prevent a civilian massacre.
Robert Evans, Chairman of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with South Asia, called on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to send a peacekeeping mission as soon as possible.
“All the evidence suggests that about a quarter of a million people are not just stuck in limbo, but could be caught in a ghastly bloodbath,” said Evans, who belongs to Britain’s ruling Labour party.
Evans said Tamil civilians have a “natural reticence and fear” of accepting a Sri Lankan government offer “to come over to their side”.
“They are terrified of Sri Lankan troops and their ‘holding camps’�. Equally there are stories suggesting that the LTTE has or might shoot anyone who tries to escape from the areas that remain under their control.
“There could be as many as 250,000 men, women and children massacred in the next few days unless the international community acts immediately,” he added.
Evans said he has discussed the worsening situation in Sri Lanka with Foreign Office Minister Mark Malloch-Brown, and European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner and was in Oslo on Tuesday meeting Norwegian minister and former peace negotiator Erik Solheim.