Red Cross Barred From Sri Lanka Refugee Camp

Washington Post:

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday that its workers have been barred from the country's largest refugee camp and cannot distribute aid to or monitor the well-being of some 130,000 displaced residents.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[Mal Dayaratne]

Well, according to my sources, they have concerns about LTTE sympathisers in ICRC after an undisclosed aid group (possibly ICRC) attempted to smuggle out some young refugees suspected to be LTTE recruits.

[sheilaofmiami]

Yea, wouldn't want to help the helpless with outside help that is neutral. They might decide that the winners of the war are not go nice after all.

Sri Lanka, a place to wonder if it will ever be able to govern itself reasonably. Like Hatti

[Mal Dayaratne]

I'm offended by that ignorant remark sheila. I don't know what your media spoonfeeds you, but Sri Lanka is perfectly able to govern itself. I grew up in Colombo, well away from the war-zone, and I had a safe, happy and comfortable childhood that few people in, say, Miami can dream of.

Whether ICRC is neutral or not remains to be seen.

[Durango]

This sounds like a very bad start.

When you have won a war it is in your best interests to be compassionate in victory. And that is much more important the longer a bitter war has gone on. And most important in a Civil War.

Like Lincoln said "With charity for all and malice towards none."

If you cannot be magnanimous in victory when can you be?

Obviously there were dramatic underlying causes for that war. And if those causes are not dealt with an ever lasting war remains a distinct possibility.

Just because one side won does not mean the other side's grievances weren't real.

if you do not have the wisdom to deal with the underlying causes of the war you will be doomed.

[RwandaSriLanka]

Hundreds of thousands of Tamils in Sri Lanka and around the world... are not surprised. The slaughter has just begun. The genocide will be completed while the world watches... just like it watched in Rwanda. EXCEPT... in Sri Lanka, there is no Tutsi Army to come to the rescue.

[VS007]

Like Lincoln said "With charity for all and malice towards none."

--> Wow, once again reaffirms the greatness of Lincoln.

One thing can be said, Rajapksa is no Lincoln.