Pictures show human toll of Sri Lankan offensive
First views from inside war zone reveal large number of civilians killed and wounded
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
AP
A Sri Lankan man cradles his wounded son as he waits for treatment at a hospital in a rebel-controlled town 170 miles north of Colombo
The mounting civilian cost of Sri Lanka's military operation to crush rebel fighters has been revealed by a series of gruesome photographs taken inside the war zone, where up to 250,000 people are trapped.
The pictures and video footage show scores of people dead or wounded. Some of the images were taken inside a hospital that has been struck repeatedly by artillery shells, killing at least 11 people. Others show civilians, killed along with their young children, inside a supposed "safe zone" that was struck by shells, apparently fired by both government troops and rebels.
The images, obtained by the Associated Press, challenge the effectiveness of the government's purported "zero civilian casualty policy" and its claims that the humanitarian crisis in the war zone in the north of the country has been exaggerated by aid groups.
Sarah Crowe, a spokeswoman for Unicef, said last night: "The fighting is intense and we have evidence civilians and children are getting caught in the crossfire. We are extremely concerned that we are not getting access on a regular basis... Fewer than 10 per cent of those in need are getting help. It's a trickle when it should be a flood."
One photograph taken in the town of Udakattu, inside the government-declared safe zone, showed a number of family members apparently killed in their sleep by an artillery strike on 23 January. The mother and father lay dead on mats on the floor. They were still cradling their two children. Meanwhile, video footage showed a hospital in the conflict zone, packed with wounded civilians. A number of young boys and girls had missing limbs, while an elderly woman missing her right leg was shown simply lying on a mat on the floor. A small boy with a head wound had his left eye sealed shut while one teenage boy with no arms cried in anguish.
Officials said the hospital in Puthukkudiyiruppu had been hit several times by artillery shells yesterday and on Sunday. It is understood the shells were fired from the direction of both government and rebel forces.
Gordon Weiss, a UN spokesman in Colombo, said 11 or 12 people had been killed and many more injured in the strikes. "There was another attack on the hospital this lunchtime – another strike. That's four in all," he said.
The release of the images came as Sri Lanka's President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, claimed government forces are on the verge of crushing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters. The state has been locked in a struggle with the Tamil rebels for 25 years.
In and around the conflict zone, the government continues to demand that civilians move into the "safe zone" – the same zone that was struck last week several times by artillery shells. "The government cannot be responsible for the safety and security of civilians still living among the LTTE terrorists," said Lakshman Hulugalle, director of the government's media centre.
Journalists have been prevented from getting to the conflict zone and foreign media organisations have been warned they will be "chased out" of the country if they "favour" the LTTE.
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Comments
Why would the L.T.T.E(Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam) fire into a so called "safe zone" in there own area where the tamil civiians they represesnt and protect, reside. That to me makes no sense at all. Wheres are the sources for where this information is coming from?? It's probably from the government, and not media reporters, since "freedom of speech" is not allowed in parts of Sri Lanka, and i guess for the whole of Sri Lanka you can say with the recent media strikes and killings, allegedly plotted by the government (as stated by one of the victims himself,Mr. Lasantha Wickrematunga, a well known critic of the government who wrote a "pre-death" statement almost knowing that his death was coming, just for criticizing the Sri Lankan government). The same government who recently threatened some foreign ambassadors, including the Swiss and German ambassadors, also media (BBC, CNN and Al-Jazeera) for for reporting and showing sympathy towards the L.T.T.E. Another thing is, with all the talk of the civilians trapped in the warzone and not allowing reporters in that area is one thing, but why isn't anyone allowed to report from the government area where the few number of civilians who chose to leave are.Weird? Don't you think? Are these people really safe there? And maybe thats why they don't want to leave the L.T.T.E controlled areas. Something fishy is certainly going on, and before the world knows it or plans to do anything, another genocide will happen with everyone turning their heads the other way. Just cause the Tamil minority have nothing to offer the foreign countries, like a mining site, oil, strategic positions etc. Saddening i must say. Ok since their are no reporters in the conflict areas, lets just assume that it is the government because that to me is the only logical assumption that can be made. Then why are the L.T.T.E the only ones who are only banned as a "terrorist organization". I beleive its mainly because they are thought to carry out attacks on civilians, if I'm correct. So shouldn't then the government be banned also, and be stripped of foreign help for the mass attack on civilians (again just assuming it is the government). Hmm, someone should really get the truth of what is going on instead of just assuming what's going on. Hard to believe in this day and age, and with all the past mistakes mankind has made in history, the basic freedoms are still hard to come by. Even if the L.T.T.E are wiped out, then what? Are the Tamils supposed to go back and live happily with the same government who have been harassing them for years? I really don't see an end to this conflict moving in the direction its going. I think it's time for the world to turn their heads back around and find out the truth, before we make another mistake. Mistakes do happen and can't be changed, but if nothing is learned from these mistakes then we just end up repeating our past. Have we really learned nothing?
Its funny that most people try to support such terrorist groups by falling in to their propaganda war so easily and foolishly while all countries like US, Japan and specially India trusts the sriLankan Govt in their offensive against terror?
above comment says "Why would the L.T.T.E(Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam) fire into a so called "safe zone" in there own area where the tamil civiians they represesnt and protect, reside."
How funny the writer cant even use his brain just to deduct that the LTTE is using its final trump card , the civilians , for their advantage,to blame the govt and plead the international community to force a ceasefire and save their neck.
But no matter what happens SL Govt will not backoff without eliminating the LTTE and saving the civilians from the murderous Tigers.
Good Luck Srilanka
The statement by the former Indian Defence Minister and later President of India, R.Venkattaraman gives us the clue to the whole matter. India sent its troops into Sri Lanka to protect its southernflanks. The creation of Tamil Eelam would give rise to Tamil nationalism and this would in turn incite Tamil Nadu to break off from the Indian Republic. The other reason often cited is that it gives room to disgruntled communities in India to agitate. If this be the case, how was it possible for India to send in troops into East Pakistan to create Bangladesh? Were these considerations not prevalent then?
it is time that india should stop playiong these stupid games with the rest of South Asia... the peace of this region has been put to stake because of this insane power game and the regional politics
The tigers have been killing innocents for generations, from blowing up school buses full of children to bombing commercial planes but there was no such recognition of such terrorist activity as there is now. Why didn't the international community call for a blunt end to this in the past? Only now when the tides have turned and the LTTE are on the verge of destruction and are firing rockets from densely populated civilian areas causing retaliation and the death of yet more innocent civilians are voices being heard, opinions expressed.
If the tigers are not stopped now, yet more blood shall be spilled. Time to wake up and see the difference between a terrorist organisation who kill with no regard for anybody but their cause, and a government who is trying to finally put a stop to it and to move on from a quarter of a century of civil war.
I say get the job done Sri Lanka
As for the video clips: Tamils have seen these heart wrenching scenes for some time now through the Global Tamil Vision (GTV) TV channel via the Hotbird satellite. (In Italy there is a campaign to stop this broadcast by the Sinhalese there on instructions from the Sri Lankan govt). But the mainstream media, for reasons best known to them has blacked out these visuals. May I also point out that the Sri Lankan conflict was amongth the top 10, most under-reported issues last year? It is becoming undeniable that Tamils without a country to call their own, are worse off than the Jews before WW2. Spread all over the world fleeing oppression at first and now genocide, they unfortunately have no one to support or talk on their behalf!
I don't buy this story about doubts as to who is firing the shells. If they can't determine the direction from which the shells came by simply inspecting the damege it caused,someome is playing a game here - probably to be in the good books of Gotabaya, who has threatened to chase them away if they say anything against the govt.
By the way, just yesterday over 5,000 multi-barrel-rocket fire rounds were launched (MBRL) throughout the day without giving time even to count the casualties. We await news of carnage.