At a UNSC meeting in New York on March 26, Ambassador Le Luong Minh welcomed the Sri Lankan government’s commitment to protecting its civilians in conflicts.

“We have always maintained that in the situation of conflict, the protection of civilians must be a priority that all sides have to take into careful consideration,” Mr Minh said. 

The conflict in northern Sri Lanka is the one between a sovereign government and an outlawed terrorist organisation, and the Government of Sri Lanka has its legitimate right to take appropriate measures to restore the country’s security and stability, said Mr Minh.

According to a UN report, nearly 200,000 people in the conflict areas are in dire need of food and medicine.