The British Government have followed developments closely since the A9 road to Jaffna closed in mid August. British officials visited Jaffna in October and November to see at first hand the impact of the road closures. We maintain close contact with those with a presence in Jaffna peninsula. There are food shortages and rising food prices. The UK will continue to monitor the situation closely.
The British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka has raised with the Government the need to ensure that sufficient supplies reach the people of Jaffna. We fully support the statement by the co-chairs of the peace process (EU, Japan, Norway, US) that there should be an immediate, permanent and unconditional opening of the sea and road routes for humanitarian convoys of essential supplies.