A key US Senator warned Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday that his government's failure to protect civilians in government safe zones was hurting the country's global standing.

"While the Tamil Tigers have committed egregious acts, I am also alarmed by reports about actions taken by the government of Sri Lanka," Democrat John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote Rajapaksa.

Kerry said he had "grave concern" about reports that government forces had shelled civilians and hospitals in government-designated safe zones amid a fierce push to crush the rebel force, that humanitarian aid was not reaching civilians, and that the government had cracked down on journalists.

"This situation jeopardizes the international standing of Sri Lanka and its relations with friendly countries," the senator, his party's 2004 White House candidate, said in a letter made public by his office.

"Let me once again emphasize the urgent need for the Sri Lankan government to take all necessary steps to protect civilians, allow humanitarian access to the displaced, and credibly investigate human rights violations by all members of government security forces," Kerry wrote Rajapaksa.

Last month the government in Colombo asked men, women and children to move to a stretch of coastline as troops advanced on rebel positions in the north in a bid to crush all remaining pockets of resistance by the Tamil Tigers.

Government forces have pushed Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels into a shrinking strip of land in the northeast and have said they hope to completely crush the guerrillas by April.But tens of thousands of civilians are trapped behind the front line, according to relief agencies.

Kerry said that, as the military campaign ends, Rajapaksa would "have the opportunity to start down the path toward a durable and lasting peace through a political solution that acknowledges the legitimate aspirations of all Sri Lankans.

"As a friend of Sri Lanka, the United States will continue to closely monitor the situation -- and will stand ready to facilitate a return to the peace and prosperity so earnestly desired by all of its citizens," said Kerry.

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Edited March 24, 200916 yr by தேசம்

To: senator@kerry.senate.gov

CC: senator@casey.senate.gov; frederick_jones@foreign.senate.gov

Subject: Continuous killings of Tamils by Srilankan forces!

Dear Hon. Senator Kerry,

Tamils cannot expect a meaningful solution from Sri Lanka as the unitary constitution would not amended. The required two third majority is simply not possible. And the successive Srilankan governments failed to find a peaceful solution to the minority Tamils aspirations for equal rights is the root cause of all the violence.

Please do understand that the Srilankan forces continuous indiscriminate bombings and shelling in the Tamil homeland is killing at least 300 civilians a week and injuring more even after repeated calls for an immediate ceasefire from many international agencies and governments.

Please use your good offices to bring an immediate end to the Tamil civilian sufferings.

Thank You very much for the letter requesting the Srilankan government to protect the Tamil civilians and the journalists.

Sincerely,