The government unilaterally terminates its Ceasefire Agreement with the LTTE. In its notice required under Article 4:4 of the original agreement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “The Government of Sri Lanka today (3rd January 2008) formally notified the Royal Norwegian Government of its decision to terminate the Agreement on a “Ceasefire (CFA) between the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)” concluded on 22nd February 2002″. The termination would take effect on 16 January 2008, 14 days from the date of the government’s notice.
The statement further notes that “Accordingly, the Status of Mission Agreement (SOMA) on the Establishment and the Management of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) dated 18th March 2002 between the Royal Norwegian Government and the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka will also stand terminated with effect from 16th January 2008″.
Sources
Violence kills off Sri Lanka ceasefire, The Guardian, 3 January 2008; Sri Lanka truce end worries Norway, BBC, 3 January 2008; Sri Lanka: Cease-Fire Is Annulled, New York Times, 3 January 2008.
Quotations
“The Ceasefire Agreement had been violated nearly 10,000 times by the Tamil Tigers, so we should annul this agreement… national security was threatened at every corner.” Keheliya Rambukwella, the Government spokesman on security matters.
“This comes on top of the increasingly frequent and brutal acts of violence perpetrated by both parties, and I am deeply concerned that the violence and hostilities will now escalate even further,” Erik Solheim, Norwegian Foreign Minister.
“An intensification of hostilities will likely have a devastating effect on the human rights of many Sri Lankans from all communities… violations of these rules by any party could entail individual criminal responsibility under international criminal law, including by those in positions of command,” Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, statement released 15 January 2008.
Related events
Ceasefire Agreement signed
GoSL closes the A9 highway
SLMM reports death toll figures
Suspected LTTE bomb attack in Buttala
