South Asian Outlook : An Independent e-Monthly | South Asia: Sri Lankan Armed forces target Civilians

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Sri Lankan Armed forces target Civilians

BY SATHEESAN KUMAARAN (IDN)

“Aiyoh...They are killing us!! Who is going to save us?” is the sound of the regular screaming in the Vanni region by the displaced Tamils as the Sri Lankan armed forces intensify their military aggression in the guise of destroying the LTTE. They are killing thousands of Tamils with no consideration to humanity as the Tamils try to seek international help to secure their freedom. The International Community (IC), however, does not seem hear their voices as they scream out: “Aiyoh the Sri Lankan armed forces are killing us!”

Both the IC and neighbouring India remain mute and unmoved spectators as the Sri Lankan armed forces increasingly target civilians in the war-torn northern Vanni region with impunity. Some countries, however, including the European Union, Canada, Britain, and the U.S., have begun to speak out on the plight of the displaced civilians trapped in the war zone through discussions as to how to protect the suffering humanity within their organized conclaves and suggest strategies to evacuate the trapped civilians from the LTTE-held areas.

Plight of civilians in camps

They, however, fail to examine as to what would be the consequences to the evacuees who are taken to designated camps, which are glorified ‘concentration camps’. The question is -- why has the IC has turned a deaf ear to the pathetic and desperate screams of the displaced civilians who have already been transferred to these concentration camps? These camps are described as the modern Sri Lankan versions of the camps of Adolf Hitler in the 1940s used for Jews in preparation of their annihilation. Just as Hitler massacred the inmates of the camps thereafter, the Sri Lankan government is planning to massacre the civilians sheltered in these concentration camps. The civilians harboured in the camps already cry for help without much help from the outside world.

The displaced people, while describing the situation that prevails in the concentration camps, shared their plight with this writer on condition of anonymity for fear of facing grave hardships and severe reprisals in the hands of the Sri Lankan security forces. They are in dire need to expose what is happening to them including the forced abortions by the t Sri Lankan armed forces, violent rape of women, beating up of the youth, torture of the elders, and kidnapping of other individuals as suspects belonging to the LTTE and taken to secret locations with their whereabouts unknown.

When this writer inquired about why the displaced people did not make these complaints known when the diplomats and NGO officials visited the camps, they stated that whenever the diplomats and other foreigners visited the camps, they were accompanied by Sri Lankan military personnel in civilian clothes, and therefore they were scared to complain as they would be killed without doubt. This is the reality on the ground in the camps described as a “safe zone” in the areas in the control of the Sri Lankan armed forces. Diplomats in Colombo, however, find it convenient to report to their governments that the civilians living in the camps enjoy freedom and good food. Either they do not take the trouble to verify the facts or they are also afraid of backlashes from the defence and foreign ministries.

This being the case the question arises: who then are the protectors of the Tamils suffering in such manner? One need not be a rocket scientist to answer this simple question. It is the LTTE by default. When the Tamils lived in the LTTE-held areas, the civilians lived in peace with freedom except when the Sri Lankan armed forces began military offensives and aerial attacks on the LTTE-held Vanni.

Conduct of aerial attacks on a country’s own unsuspecting citizens is as shameful as attacking another country unprovoked. However, the world community raises no concerns when the Sri Lankan state has been launching attacks on its own citizens for the last three decades. Rather, they encourage the Sri Lankan government with monetary and military aid to crush the LTTE. The global community also sees, quite short-sightedly, the LTTE as a terrorist organization without making any study of their aspirations. The world community fails to understand that these freedom fighters who sacrifice their lives on a daily basis are fighting not for any monetary gain, power or as a shortcut to heaven but doing so for the freedom of the Tamils.

A good number of countries compare the LTTE to the Al Qaeda without ever bothering to study the marked differences between these two organizations. Unlike the Al Qaeda, the LTTE is fighting for their rights and freedom in their homeland and they do not carry out attacks against any other nations or cultures. The LTTE entered into negotiations with the Sri Lankan state with the facilitation of India and Norway, but the negotiations were exercises in futility.

To discover the truth as to whether the Tamils support the LTTE, the IC should hold a census among the Eelam Tamil people living throughout the world and to uncover the truth about the treatment of civilians when they were in the LTTE-held areas and to find out how the LTTE treated them. The simple answer would be that the LTTE treated the Tamils who lived in their controlled areas with dignity and respect. A female could walk the streets at midnight without fear of robbery or molestation. In contrast is the pathetic situation in the Sri Lankan government-controlled areas where the Tamils, regardless of age, cannot walk even in broad daylight for fear of being abducted and killed, abducted and raped, abducted and demanded ransom or abducted and later claimed as “taken for investigation” if and when the story comes to light. For example, the Sri Lankan armed forces kidnapped a senior editor of two Tamil newspapers Nadesapillai Vithyatharan in Colombo on February 26, 2008, but when the owner of the newspapers, Saravanapavan, approached President Mahinda Rajapaksa and after heavy criticisms from the media and foreign countries, Rajapaksa told Saravanapavan that the armed forces arrested him for interrogations. However, Vithyatharan’s wife screamed ‘Aiyoh...someone is kidnapping my husband!’

The Sri Lankan government is trying to hoodwink the entire world, while many countries around the world remain mute spectators of their criminality.

Time for UN to intervene

The Sri Lankan-Tamil issue has reached a crisis point where the conflict cannot be otherwise resolved or controlled. The IC could help force Sri Lanka to improve the evacuees living conditions and secure safety inside the dangerous camps. The camps’ operations are as secret and subversive as those under Hitler’s Nazis. The IC needs to enter the scene with the view to securing the safety of the trapped Tamil civilians.

The IC should be aware that the conflict will never end without satisfying the just and fair demands of the Tamils.

If left unsettled the LTTE will bounce back with the fullest military capability or they will undoubtedly return to their former military tactic, resorting to guerrilla warfare. The LTTE fighters have been active since the 1970s, and they were even active in the government-controlled areas. Further, the LTTE fighters had the expertise of fighting the world’s third largest military while the Indian armed forces were serving to “bring peace” from 1987 to 1990, but the Indian armed forces had to be withdrawn after three years in the North and East of Sri Lanka as they could not subdue the LTTE through military means.

A peaceful settlement of the dispute under international law should be followed through. The following two levels -- negotiations and mediation -- have failed. The question is whether the UN will intervene to resolve the conflict through peaceful means by using the second two levels -- enquiry & reconciliation and adjudication & settlement -- or does the international community feel that the conflict has reached the point where the conflict cannot be resolved because it has fallen into disarray and the crisis cannot be resolved by negotiations because all of peaceful avenues have been exhausted.

The Tamils believe that the conflict in Sri Lanka cannot be resolved by any internal or external factors other than the United Nations, and the UN can attempt adjudication and settlement, but it would be an utter waste of time to put both the parties into negotiations, as the conflict is a crisis. Therefore, collective resolutions should be taken by the UN, after giving a final chance for both warring parties to reach a meaningful solution to the conflict by fulfilling the demands of Tamils. Otherwise, the Tamils the world over will anticipate that the world community should recognize Tamil Eelam as an independent State just as it was done to East Timor, Montenegro, and Kosovo.

In any event, the Tamils cry:”Aiyoh…who is going to save us?” -- should not fall on deaf ears. Rather, the global community should hear their pleas and the world community should collectively make wise decisions immediately in order to save the crying civilians from being completely destroyed to silence them.

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Satheesan Kumaaran holds B.Sc. (Biology), Honours BA (Political Science) and MA in Integrated Studies with the specialization in International Law and International Relations. This was first published in The Tamil Mirror. E-Mail: satheesan_kumaaran@yahoo.com.

News Briefs

683 persons killed in the North-East during the week: 683 persons, including 498 civilians and 185 militants, were killed in the North-East during the week. The Sri Lanka Army’s (SLA) short-range mortar shelling, rocket propelled grenade (RPG) attacks and gunfire killed 96 civilians, including 19 children, and injured 160 others within the 'Safety Zone' in the Puthumaaththalan area of Mullaitivu District on March 23, according to local aid workers and medical authorities. On March 22, 32 civilians, including seven children, were killed. Further, 62 civilians were killed as the military continued shelling and bombing into the ‘Safety Zone’ in Mullaitivu District on March 24. On the same night, suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militants shot dead five farmers and injured two others at Neelapola in the Trincomalee District. Troops repelled an attempt by the LTTE to breach the Army forward defence lines north of Iranapalai in Mullaitivu District on March 25, killing an unspecified number of militants. Defence sources said over a dozen dead bodies of the militants were seen at the incident site following heavy fighting. Further, 131 civilians, including 32 children, were killed and more than 252 others, including 49 children, sustained injuries in military operations inside the ‘Safety Zone’ in Mullaitivu District on March 25-26, according to data collected from various NGO workers and medical authorities within the civilian pocket ‘besieged’ by the SLA. At least 30 militants were killed by the troops during a counterattack in Mullaitivu District on March 25. Troops continued their attacks on LTTE camps around Puthukkudiyiruppu in Mullaitivu District and killed more than 24 militants on March 26. At least 179 civilians, including 76 children, were killed and more than 109 children sustained injuries in SLA attacks inside the ‘Safety Zone’ in Mullaitivu District on March 26-27-28. Meanwhile, 31 militants were killed and more than 30 others injured in fierce fighting with the Security Forces (SFs) in Mullaitivu District as the troops repulsed a series of LTTE attempts to breach the SF’s Forward Defence Lines on March 27. In addition, troops captured the last supply route and gained control of a LTTE-built earth bund in Mullaitivu District on March 28 following hours of intense fighting that killed nine militants. Sri Lanka Army; Daily News; Tamil Net; Colombo Page, March 24- 30, 2009.

624 soldiers and 335 civilians among 1,145 persons killed in the North-East during the week: 624 soldiers, 335 civilians and 186 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militants were among 1,145 persons killed during intensified fighting in the North and continued killing in the East during the week. 29 LTTE militants were killed and an equal number of them injured following clashes between the Security Forces (SFs) and militants at Iranapalai in the Puthukkudiyiruppu region of Mullaitivu District on March 16. The Army also captured a one kilometre long LTTE-built earth bund in the area southeast of Puthukkudiyiruppu following the clashes. After days of heavy fighting, the troops captured the strategically important Iranapalai Junction in the remaining LTTE-controlled territory of Puthukkudiyiruppu on March 17. The LTTE is now cornered into an area of 30 square kilometres, including the 22 square kilometres of the safe zone demarcated by the Government. In addition, troops clashed with militants in Puthukkudiyiruppu and destroyed a few LTTE hideouts, killing at least 18 militants.

Voice of Tigers (VoT), the LTTE radio station, in its evening broadcast on March 17, claimed that 604 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed during three days of fighting in Puthukkudiyiruppu. Several hundred soldiers were also wounded in the fighting, the broadcast claimed. Further, 84 civilians were killed and over 182 injured as the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) dropped around 50 massive bunker buster bombs and the SLA continued shelling on the fringes of the 'Safe Zone' on March 17, Tamil Net reported. The SLAF and the SLA that targeted Pachchaippulmoaddai and Valaignardam areas within the ‘Safety Zone’ killed 52 civilians and injured 182 others, according to initial reports by the VoT. On the same morning, 32 civilians were killed during shelling in other areas of the 'safe zone', according to independent sources. Earlier, 58 civilians were killed in SLA shelling on March 15. Further, on March 16, 29 more civilians were killed in shelling and six others in the gunfire by the SLA. 73 others civilians were reportedly wounded on the same day.

23 militants were killed and an equal number of then injured during clashes with troops in the area northeast of Puthukkudiyiruppu, Defence.lk reported on March 19. The troops recovered the dead bodies of 12 militants following clashes on March 18. In a separate incident in the same area, another 11 militants were killed. An unspecified number of LTTE cadres were killed by the troops during clashes in the Ampalavanpokkanai, Puthukkudiyiruppu east and Mullaitivu north areas. During subsequent search operations, the SFs recovered dead bodies of 11 militants from Puthukkudiyiruppu. At least 17 civilians were killed on March 18, while 39, including 11 children, were reportedly killed inside the safety zone in SLA attacks on March 19, according to Tamil Net.

The SLA artillery shelling killed 46 civilians inside the ‘Safety Zone’ in the Mullaitivu District, Tamil Net reported. On the same day, SLA soldiers attempted to advance in Iranapalai following heavy artillery firing and air attacks, but were forced to withdraw, leaving behind dead bodies and military hardware, the LTTE said, claiming that at least 20 SLA soldiers were killed and 120 wounded. In addition, a senior Sea Tiger (sea wing of the LTTE) leader was killed and his body was recovered by the troops along with another four bodies following clashes between the SFs and militants in the area south of Patikkarai in Mullaitivu District in the morning of March 20. Citing intercepted LTTE communication, military sources said the LTTE have fled the area, leaving behind the dead bodies, including that of the Sea Tiger leader Sindu. Separately, SLA fired artillery shells into the 'Safety Zone', killing 42 civilians and injuring around 80 civilians on March 21, Tamil Net reported.

On March 22, the SFs captured the LTTE’s last operational centre, Iranapalai. According to military sources, with the fall of Iranapalai, the LTTE have now been confined to a 25 square kilometre land patch, which also includes the ‘Safe Zone’ designed for the displaced civilians. On the same day, 28 militants were killed in clashes with the troops in Puthukkudiyiruppu. Sri Lanka Army; Daily News; Tamil Net; Colombo Page, March 17- 23, 2009.

360 LTTE militants and 75 civilians among 435 persons killed in the North during the week: 360 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militants and 75 civilians were among 435 persons killed during intensified fighting in the North during the week. Troops on March 8, 2009 foiled a few infiltration attempts by the LTTE militants who are currently restricted to a small area between Puthukkudiyiruppu and Chalai in Mullaitivu District. While the Army stated that nearly 100 militants have died and an unspecified number of them were wounded in the clashes, the Security Forces (SFs) subsequently recovered dead bodies of 50 militants, 111 T-56 weapons and some military hardware belonging to the LTTE. Further, troops, on extended search and clear operations in Puthukkudiyiruppu east, recovered dead bodies of 30 militants on March 9. At least 12 LTTE cadres were killed and 24 others injured in clashes with troops in the Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mulliyaweli, Kuppulankulam, Puthumatalan and areas near Mullaitivu town on March 11. According to another report, Subarathnam Selvatureiy alias Thamilendi, the LTTE’s chief of financial division, was confirmed killed in the weekend fighting in the northeast of Puthukkudiyiruppu where over 150 dead bodies of militants were recovered after the clashes. At least 16 LTTE militants were killed when troops captured a hospital at Puthukkudiyiruppu on March 12. Meanwhile, 13 top and middle-rung LTTE leaders were confirmed killed in the week-long clashes in Puthukkudiyiruppu. They included ‘lieutenant colonel’ Saleem, fourth in the LTTE hierarchy, ‘lieutenant colonel’ Ambalanan and ‘lieutenant colonel’ Eleel Chelvan, sent by the LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran himself for ground battles against troops, ‘lieutenant colonel’ Maran, ‘major’ Tamil Maran, ‘captain’ Kathier Nilavan, ‘major’ Malar Shamal, ‘captain’ Elavilan, ‘captain’ Kalai Kadiravan and ‘captain’ Kala Enivan. On the same day, clashes between the two sides resulted in the death of a number of militants in the east of Puthukkudiyiruppu. Troops later recovered dead bodies of 18 militants from the incident site. 69 civilians, including 19 children, were killed and several others wounded within the ‘safe zone’ in the Sri Lanka Army shelling and Sri Lanka Air Force bombardments in Mullaitivu on March 14, claimed pro-LTTE Website Tamil Net. Meanwhile, the SFs entered the outskirts of Iranapalai, the last operational centre of top rung LTTE leaders, including Intelligence Wing leader Pottu Amman, with the troops clearing the last section of the build-up area in Puthukkudiyiruppu East by March 14-evening. Sri Lanka Army; Daily News; Tamil Net; Colombo Page, March 10- 16, 2009.

14 persons killed and minister among 46 others injured in suicide attack in Matara District: 14 people were killed and 46 others, including the Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mahinda Wijesekara, were wounded when a suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber blew himself up on March 10, 2009, targeting a procession celebrating Eid-e-Milad (Prophet Mohammed's birthday) in the southern town of Akuressa in Matara District. This is the first suicide attack in Matara, the southernmost region and populated overwhelmingly by the majority Sinhala community. The Defence ministry said the suicide bomber "had arrived at the place on a push-bike and exploded himself among the Islamic devotees going to the mosque in a procession… Among the deceased and injured were several local government representatives." The Hindu, March 11, 2009.

271 civilians and 137 LTTE militants among 410 persons killed in the North during the week: 271 civilians and 137 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militants were among 410 persons killed during intensified fighting in the North during the week. At least 122 civilians were killed in continued artillery attacks by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and bombardment by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) in Mullaitivu District, claimed the pro-LTTE Website Tamil Net. 45 civilians were killed when the SLA fired artillery shells within the 'safety zone' at Mullivaaykkaal, Valaignarmadam, Pokkanai, Maaththalan and the adjoining Iranaippaalai areas on March 2. Earlier on March 1, around 37 civilians were killed while on February 28 around 40 people died in SLA artillery attack and SLAF bombardment. Further, 20 militants were killed as the Security Forces (SFs) foiled a LTTE sea attack by destroying three boats in the Puthukkudiyiruppu area on March 1. At least 73 civilians were killed and more than 160 others wounded inside the 'Safety Zone' in the Mullaitivu District as SLA fired artillery shells and the SLAF dropped bombs on March 3, claimed Tamil Net. On March 2, a LTTE woman-suicide bomber blew herself up in the Vannakulam area, to the east of Elephant Pass and to the south of Vettalaikerny, when the 55^th Division troops attempted to go closer to her on suspicion. In addition, approximately 68 civilians, including 21 children, were killed and 126 others sustained injuries as the SLA continued artillery shelling inside the 'Safety Zone' on March 4, claimed Tamil Net. An International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) member was reportedly among the victims. Meanwhile, troops foiled the LTTE’s attempt with human shield by killing around 50 militants at Puthukkudiyiruppu in Mullaitivu on March 5. Further, troops in a search operation followed by clashes with the LTTE at Puthukkudiyiruppu, recovered dead bodies of 19 militants on March 7. Sri Lanka Army; Daily News; Tamil Net; Colombo Page, March 3- 9, 2009.

LTTE denies involvement in Lahore attack: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has denied any link to the attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore on March 3, 2009, saying the outfit have no connections with those terrorists. "We don't have any connections with those people (Lahore attackers)," LTTE's spokesman Thileepan told the radio division of Australia's Special Broadcasting Service in the night of March 4. Answering a specific question that there are some suggestions that the LTTE could have been connected to those attacks, Thileepan replied: "No, that's not true." Asked whether the LTTE condemned the attack, he said: "Actually, we haven't made any comments on it." PTI, March 5, 2009.

159 civilians and 91 LTTE militants among 250 persons killed in the North during the week: 159 civilians and 91 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militants were among 250 persons killed during intensified fighting in the North during the week. Security Forces (SFs) entered Puthukkudiyiruppu in Mullaitivu District, the last town under the outfit’s control, following clashes on February 24 killing and injuring an unspecified number of militants. Separately, troops foiled an attempt by a group of militants to infiltrate the SF’s Defence line in north Mullaitivu, killing 19 militants. Further, at least 135 civilians were killed and several others wounded during military operations in Mullaitivu District between February 25 and February 27, Tamil Net claimed on February 27. While 60 civilians died on February 27, the number of civilians killed on February 25 and February 26 totalled 75. 18 of the victims on February 25 and two on February 26 were killed within the 'safety zone' in artillery shelling. Separately, on February 26, the troops clashed with LTTE militants in the Puthukkudiyiruppu area of Mullaitivu District killing 14 of them, including a LTTE ground commander known as Shankar who led the confrontation. Further, on February 27, 20 militants were killed in clashes between the two sides in Mullaitivu District in the night of February 27 and the morning of February 28. In addition, the SFs confronted militants in the Puthukkudiyiruppu area, killing nine of them. On March 1, at least 10 civilians were killed and dozens more wounded when artillery shells fell inside a Government-designated "safe zone" in the Mullaitivu District. Sri Lanka Army; Daily News; Tamil Net; Colombo Page, February 24- March 2, 2009.

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