Transcript E&OE
23 May 2009
Interview: Elizabeth Jackson, ABC 'AM'
Subject: Aftermath of the victory over the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, today is expected to call on the Sri Lankan Government to grant the UN and international aid agencies full access to the thousands of people who've been displaced by the fighting there. Human rights groups have criticised the conditions of the camps where the refugees are being held. The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith, has backed the calls for international assistance.I spoke to the ABC's South Asia correspondent, Sally Sara a short time ago and asked her about the Sri Lankan Government's response.
REPORTER: The Sri Lankan Government feels confident at this stage that it has the situation under control in the north and east of the country. It's saying that it's providing all the basic needs for the people who are in the camps in those areas. They haven't totally ruled out access for non-government organisations but those organisations are requesting freer access to be able to get in and get their vehicles in to the worst affected areas. Well we've had comments though from Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith, talking about his view that there may be some assistance rendered for the Sri Lankan Government to deal with this situation.
STEPHEN SMITH: This is not a problem or an issue which Sri Lankan can deal with by itself without the assistance of the international community. There needs to be access for the usual United Nations and international agencies who are best placed to render assistance in these very difficult circumstances.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: That's the Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith. Sally has there been any official response from the international community?
REPORTER: There are a couple of issues that have been pursued. One is the access issue and we've heard from aid workers up in the area of situations of hospitals up in Vavuniya, which is one of the worst affected where they've got 1,900 patients in a hospital that has a capacity of 450. They're getting supplies through but obviously the bed space is very difficult. So aid organisations are expressing concern about those basic issues. But then beyond that there are also concerns being raised about possible war crimes investigations into what's happening to Sri Lanka as well. So the main issues are access and also accountability for what has gone on. The Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith, has indicated that Australia may have a look at its refugee program when it comes to Sri Lanka.
STEPHEN SMITH: In my conversation with Foreign Minister Bogollagama one of the things I did agree was that Australia would look at what it could do by way of direct bilateral assistance to Sri Lanka to help with the displaced people. Secondly on that question, we haven't yet seen any large scale movements of people from Sri Lanka. We haven't had a request from, for example, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees that additional places may be required. We should simply take it step by step. We are of course alert to the fact that the terrible conflict may cause push factors, may result in a large number of people seeking refugee status, either coming by boats or making that application through the UNHCR.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: The Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith. Sally, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, I understand is visiting Sri Lanka today.
REPORTER: That's right. He'll be touring some of the camps in the north east. It's a visit that's barely 24 hours. He'll also be meeting with the President Mahinda Rajapaksa as well to talk about issues of access for international aid organisations and also to encourage Sri Lanka to come up with a lasting solution to the political issues here as well, to turn really a military victory into something of a last peace. So they're some of the main things that he'll be focusing on during his very brief visit here.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: And Sally we now have the first casualty figures released.
REPORTER: This is the first time that the Sri Lankan Government has released its casualty figures for the Sri Lankan military and it's saying since August 2006, which was really the beginning of this last stretch of the war, that from August 2006 until the war ended a few days ago, the Sri Lankan military lost 6,000 soldiers were killed and that another 30,000 were wounded. So very significant numbers there. we don't have an overall number taking in all the civilians casualties and the Tamil Tiger casualties as well but the best estimates put the overall number at about 80,000 dead for the conflict overall. So a very heavy national price for peace which has finally come in Sri Lanka.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: And I understand the president has spoken and said that there will be no war crimes tribunal.
REPORTER: It's been Heroes Day in Sri Lanka and the President Mahinda Rajapaksa's given a national address, a very defiant address and he said that he's not at all afraid of the possibility of war crimes investigation which has been suggested by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and also for Britain. And the President's gone further saying that he's prepared to go to the gallows for his nation. So quite dramatic comments about whether the President would be concerned about a possible war crimes investigation and he's giving a very clear message that no, he's not concerned and he doesn't believe that there are any happenings which deserve to be investigated in that way.
[Ends]
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