A special peace envoy of the Japanese government said Tuesday that the Sri Lankan government's decision to unilaterally abrogate the truce agreement with Tamil Tiger rebels may lead to an increased level of violence and greater civilian casualties.
Japan's special peace envoy on Sri Lanka's faltering peace bid Yasushi Akashi told reporters that the Japanese government was deeply concerned over the government decision.
The former UN under secretary general who was appointed to his Sri Lanka envoy position in 2002 ended a three-day visit to the island on Tuesday after meeting several Sri Lankan leaders including President Mahinda Rajapakse.
He said his visit was aimed at expressing the Japanese government's deep concern over the situation that could emerge after Jan. 16 when the government would withdraw from the Norwegian backed truce with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
"Such decision may lead to an increased level of violence and greater civilian casualties," Akashi said.
He said the Japanese government was worried that the abrogation of the truce would lead to the pursuit of military solution with dire humanitarian consequences.
He stressed it was necessary for the government to come up with a political package to end the impasse.
"I believe the statements from President (Rajapakse) and other Sri Lankan leaders that they are committed to a negotiated settlement," Akashi said.
"The president told me that the drafting of a political package would be completed very soon," Akashi added.
Regarding Japan's economic assistance to the Indian ocean island, Akashi said its economic assistance is based on a complex set of factors including political, economic and humanitarian issues.
He said the Japanese government will continue to observe closely the political, military and human rights situation in Sri Lanka.
The abrogation of the ceasefire by the government is being seen by analysts as an indication of its pursuit of a military effort to crush the Tigers and free the areas under their control in the north.
It is feared that more deaths and destruction as a result would further de-stabilize the already worsened situation in the island.
Since the end of 2005 over 5,000 people have died in the upsurge of violence between government troops and the LTTE.
Claiming discrimination at the hands of the Sinhala majority, the LTTE has been fighting the government since the mid-1980s to establish a separate homeland for the minority Tamils in the north and east.
Source:Xinhua
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