prolonqed some internal armed conflicts. The international community tends to favour one side or the other, and either supports or condemns the reasons for the armed conflict, rather than recoqnize the obvious - that armed conflict exists and will continue as lonq as the affected peoples feel that their only hope for betterment of the situation is throuqh military means. In Sri Lanka, for example, the Tamil population, with its obvious support for the Tamil militants, indicates that it is willing to endure the consequences of armed conflict to gain its aspirations which it describes in terms of full human rights and self-determination. The continuance of the armed conflict merely feeds these aspirations. On the other hand, the Government feels that rather than address the aspirations of the Tamil people, it will overcome them by military annihilation. As lonq as the international community attempts to deny the "leqitimacv" of one side or the other, it will not be able to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. E/CN.4/Sub,2/199 О/NGO/31 oaae 3 7, Durina armed conflicts, Governments mav invoke article 4 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Riqhts and suspend or deroaate from soma of the recoqniaed riqhtb. iiowuvu^., no ¿tate mav suapt.'iü or derocate from those rights identified as non-deroqable. The international community should Dav close attention to the apolication of article 4, includina the obligation of strict exiqencv. Governments freauently use the excuse of an armed conflict to sweep awav all human riahts law protections, especially for those civilian people that it considers aligned with the "enemy". 8. International Educational Development acknowledaes that war is the lowest form of human interaction and that the first victim of armed conflict is the truth. Por this reason, we encouraae the international community to study all 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the impact of armed conflicts on human rights and the role of the international community in addressing these conflicts. It highlights the tendency of governments to suspend or derogate from human rights during armed conflicts, and the need for the international community to ensure that human rights are protected. The text also touches on the issue of self-determination and the aspirations of affected peoples. Given the focus on human rights and international relations, it seems likely that the text falls under the categories related to humanitarian aid and relief, as well as education.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Education