The All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG-T) said it has received credible information that Sri Lankan government forces are preparing for a final onslaught on the ‘Safe Zone’ by air, sea and land.
In an appeal to the UK government, the MPs warned on Sunday: ‘This will result in a humanitarian carnage of unimaginable magnitude with an estimated, over 100,000 civilians encircled within a dense area.
‘Such an offensive in a densely populated area could potentially cause over 10,000 civilians being killed instantly.
‘APPG-T welcomes the announcement made today by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of a unilateral ceasefire with immediate effect.
‘The immediate implementation of the ceasefire shows the commitment on the part of the LTTE, to address this unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka.
‘It is of grave concern and disappointment that the government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has rejected this offer of ceasefire, which would defuse the humanitarian catastrophe.
‘This comes despite appeals from the White House, G8 nations, the United Nations, the European Union, humanitarian organisations, along with repeated calls by Her Majesty’s Government for immediate ceasefire.
‘The APPG-T appeals to Her Majesty’s Government, NGOs and Governments around the world, to act immediately to prevent this devastation in the “No Fire Zone”.
‘Yours faithfully, Virendra Sharma MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils.’
Sharma is the MP for Ealing.
In a faint voice barely audible, 28-year-old Parameswaran, on the 20th day of his hunger strike in London, said on Sunday the world is waiting for the right action from the US president.
‘The White House said stop shelling and warned Sri Lanka that a military end of the conflict will end a unified Sri Lanka. But Colombo is air attacking.
‘We are waiting for right action. 10,000 civilians died in three months.
‘Thousands and thousands are suffering in the hands of the Sri Lankan military and in the refugee camps – the barbed wire camps, without international monitoring.
‘This is clearly, without any doubt genocide . . . I condemn all nations for not condemning. I strongly condemn the Indian government for supporting the war in Sri Lanka’, Parameswaran said.
‘I am on hunger strike. I want an answer, otherwise no one can stop me,’ Parameswaran told TamilNet.
However, the Sri Lankan government intensified air-strikes on the safety zone on Sunday, targeting it more than 39 times in six sorties of air raids.
Colombo’s attacks gained a new spurt after discussions with Indian officials M.K. Narayanan and Shiv Shankar Menon last Friday.
It is said that Colombo has asked for a few days time to finish the war to the ‘end’ and the Indians consented.
Meanwhile the worst carnage is imminent as Colombo builds up around the safety zone and prepares to attack on five fronts after bombing the zone 64 times Saturday and Sunday, reports from Vanni said.
The tragedy is ‘only few hours away’, said the head of Tamil Rehabilitation Organization in Vanni, Sunday, fearing the possibility of at least 10,000 casualties.