On Sunday, 17th of May 2009, TamilNet reported on Col. Soosai, the Sea Tiger Special Commander of the LTTE saying that around 25,000 civilians injured in the artillery attack of Sri Lanka Army are dead and dying now without receiving medical attention. The LTTE has repeatedly requested the ICRC through Mr. Pathmanathan to evacuate the injured through Vadduvaakal or Iraddaivaaikkaal, but there was no IC response. Within a 2 square kilometre area, there are dead bodies everywhere while the remaining thousands are in bunkers amidst the use of every kind of weapon by Colombo's forces. The SLA is not even allowing the people to flee but prefers to fire at them, Soosai said.
Meanwhile, latest reports from Vanni indicate that several thousands of civilians have been captured by the SLA, but only after first firing at them at random, causing the death and injury of many.
LTTE's head of international relations S. Pathmanathan in a statement Sunday, following an hour after Soosai's message, said the LTTE is prepared to silence its guns if that is what needed by the International Comunity to save the life and dignity of the Tamil people.
Voice: Soosai's message to media from Vanni Sunday noon (in Tamil)
Direct Link (mp3)What is happening to the surviving civilians captured by Sri Lankan army or who are "liberated from the LTTE" as Sri Lankan government used to call the capture shows the following article published by http://tamilaffairs.com/ :
Tamil women raped by the government forces! President must reveal the names of Tamils taken to execution chambers!
News reaching from very reliable sources from the IDP Camps in Vavuniya, have alleged that up to 300 Tamil women have been allegedly mistreated and in most cases raped by members of the Sri Lankan army. A majority of the victims were gang-raped by Sri Lankan soldiers, whilst in the transition camps prior to their arrival at the permanent camps in Vavuniya district. There are upto 16 IDP camps at present with over 150,000 IDP’s.
Mistreatment of young Tamil women aged between 18 and 25 years is almost a daily occurrence with some victims so scared they voluntarily act as sex slaves for prying desperate Sri Lankan Army personnel. Up to 45 women escaped from the LTTE controlled areas three months ago were recently interviewed discreetly and it was confirmed that they are pregnant as a result of being the victims of rape. The SL Army on the other-hand is denying the allegations and blaming the LTTE instead for the war crimes.
It is also claimed that the government forces have taken large numbers of young Tamil men and women from the transit points to undisclosed places. Their whereabouts are been kept secret and it is claimed that by barring the International Non Governmental Organizations like the ICRC, the government forces are able to carryout untold human rights violations against the arrested persons. Sources also said the government death squad operating in the war torn areas have become so sophisticated that they are carrying out the murders without traces of evidence.
It is claimed that over one thousand young Tamil men and women have been executed by the military death squad since the government operations started against the LTTE.
(End of Article from tamilaffairs.com)
That theese genozidal acts by Sri Lankan forces are not likley to end after defeating the LTTE shows the current mood in colombo, described by TamilNet on Sunday, 17th of May 2009:
Flaunting 'victory' to Tamils in Colombo
Sinhala mob carrying the Lion Flag of Sri Lanka, and shouting 'jeyawewa' (victory), menacingly hover around the Tamil suburbs in Colombo such as Ko'l'lup-piddi, Ve'l'la-vaththai, Bambalapiti, Dehiwela, Koddaagn-cheanai and Maddakku'li, news reports from Colombo said. Their vehicles in which they roam around, are also guarded by flag-carrying police and intelligence vehicles, the reports said. The Tamil pedestrians are humiliated and ridiculed by this gang and by the armed personnel at security points by being specifically addressed and told that their leader Pirapaharan has been captured and everything was over, the reports further said.
The Lion Flags were hoisted on both sides of the Galle Road in Colombo and police personnel were seen distributing flags to shopkeepers and householders and enforcing them to hoist the flags.
'Kiri-bath' (milk-rice) served on auspicious occasions by the Sinhalese was seen being offered to pedestrians in different parts of Colombo as part of the 'celebrations'.
Meanwhile, video clippings Sunday showed Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, being received at the airport after his Jordan visit by a jubilant crowd of colleagues and well-wishers, including Mr. Douglas Devananda, giving him a welcome kiss.
1 comment:
The celebrations are understandable from their point of view I think. I just hope it doesn't get out of hand. The police and security forces are probably there to prevent that from happening.
It's hard to judge whether the incidents of shops being broken into etc. are isolated or systematic. My relos in Colombo feel that they are not in too much danger.
The abuses in the IDP camps are another matter entirely. We need to keep lobbying for unfettered access.
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