Sri Lanka: The war the world forgot
As the Tamil Tigers' rebel army faces defeat, the government has closed off the war zone, causing a humanitarian crisis for those trapped by the fighting. Andrew Buncombe reports
Sunday, 15 February 2009
AFP/Getty Images
Sri Lankan soldiers patrol a road in the Mullaittivu area, formerly a Tamil Tiger stronghold
All but hidden from view of the outside world, a bitter and savage war being waged in the north of Sri Lanka is creating a humanitarian crisis in which hundreds of thousands of civilians are at risk.
In what may be the final chapters of one of the world's longest-running civil wars, Sri Lankan troops say they are close to crushing the remnants of the once-potent Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Yet the military operation comes at a high price for civilians.
Aid groups and officials say that dozens of civilians trapped in the war zone are being killed and wounded every day. Determined to press ahead with its operation against a guerrilla force that has in the past ruthlessly attacked both military and civilian targets, the Sri Lankan government refuses to effect a ceasefire that would allow the evacuation of wounded people. It has also shut off the area from the outside world.
"Civilians are continuing to be killed in large numbers," said Gordon Weiss, a UN spokesman. "There are still a lot of people trapped up there and there is no sign of a ceasefire. We have no real access to the area."
The fighting taking place in the Mullaittivu district of Sri Lanka is the conclusion of more than a year of renewed conflict between the LTTE and government troops following the termination of a shaky ceasefire agreement in January 2008. Sri Lanka's President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been determined to crush the rebels, seemingly with little regard for the civilian population – a state of affairs he claims has been exaggerated by aid groups and the media.
This week, however, the world had a rare glimpse of the horrors suffered by the Tamil population, trapped between the government troops and rebels. Hundreds of wounded people were taken by the Red Cross by ferry from a makeshift clinic in the war-zone town of Putamattalan to a hospital in the eastern city of Trincomalee. Many of those who were injured reported that they had been fired on by LTTE fighters when they sought to cross the front line to the government side.
"My wife and child got killed in the shooting by the rebels," said 23-year-old Selvadorai Thavakumar, from Kilinochchi, the former rebel capital.
Another patient, Manoharan Mahendran, said: "We did not have food for days, so we decided to flee to the government area. The rebels blocked us and tried to prevent us fleeing."
That the LTTE fighters are capable of such behaviour against Tamil civilians does not appear to be in doubt. Aid groups have complained that they have used ordinary people as human shields, and last week a female suicide bomber, reportedly dispatched by the Tigers, killed around 30 civilians and troops at a checkpoint. Yesterday the Sri Lankan military said that a civilian was killed and another 13 wounded after a rebel threw a hand grenade into a bus of Tamil refugees in the village of Puliyankulam.
Yet the Sri Lankan government has also been widely criticised. Humanitarian officials have said that civilians inside a supposed safe zone were killed by artillery shells fired by both sides. A hospital also came under fire and had to be evacuated, meaning there was no longer a proper medical facility inside the war zone.
Yesterday a spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it was still talking with both sides about entering the conflict zone and evacuating more people from Putamattalan, where large numbers of desperate civilians are arriving every day at a school set up as a makeshift receiving centre.
T Satyamurthy, a doctor working there, said that around 100 wounded civilians were arriving daily and that most had shrapnel wounds. He did not know who had fired the shells. "On Friday, nearly 100 civilians were admitted for injuries; on Thursday 87 admitted. They have injuries from shells, burn marks, but we don't have basic medicine to treat them," he said.
Sophie Romanens, the ICRC spokeswoman, added: "Our other concern is for the welfare of civilians trapped inside the war zone. They have left everything behind. No humanitarian aid has reached them since January 29. We are negotiating for safe passage to allow us to evacuate them."
The Sri Lankan government appears determined that the war being waged in the north remains out of sight of the international community. Journalists have been banned from the war zone, except those travelling on specially escorted tours. Sri Lankan journalists, meanwhile, have suffered a wave of intimidation. Editors have been threatened and many others detained without charge. Around 14 journalists have been murdered by unknown assailants, most recently Lasantha Wickrematunga, editor of The Sunday Leader.
The LTTE has been fighting for a homeland for more than 25 years, claiming the Tamil minority is discriminated against by the Sinhalese-dominated establishment. The war has led to the deaths of at least 70,000 people.
View all comments that have been posted about this article.
Offensive or abusive comments will be removed and your IP logged and may be used to prevent further submission. In submitting a comment to the site, you agree to be bound by the Independent Minds Terms of Service.
- Print Article
- Email Article
-
Click here for copyright permissions
Copyright 2008 Independent News and Media Limited
Comments
All of a sudden the majority Sinhala Sri Lankan forces have become good that they only use multi-barrel bombing and phospherous chemical attack on the Tamils?
Why does the government wants to continue the at any cost of the Tamil population? Why did the bombed hospitals and killed hunndreds of people? Why did they kill hundreds of people and raped hundreds of Tamil women.
This only resembles the Armenian genocide. Isn't it? So, in your opinion, this is the mercy the Tamils should expect from the government of Sri Lanka?
I dismiss the witness stories as intimidation. If I were put in such a situation, I would have pointed my fingers at the LTTE as well. I request the media to do their diligence.
Do you think the Sri Lankan forces will leave Selvadurai and Manoharan alive if they told the truth and pointed the fingers at the Sri Lankan army in the government held terrotory?
If they killed Tamil people in the rebel held region with their indiscriminate shellings and bombings, how many seconds would take them to kill Selvadurai and Manoharan?
If you want to know the truth, put the witnesses in a open and free environment and give them 100 % guarantee that they will not be hurt. How can I they be sure that you are not one of the
government of Sri Lanka propagandists working in the western world? Above all, Selvadurai and Manoharan have just escaped a number of treacherous situations and they would still be in fear. Don't they?
Then there are Tamils who work for government of Sri Lanka and they may play excellent role in dramas as it has always been.
If government of Sri Lanka has good heart then why in the world 99.999% of the Tamils in the world are against their war on the Tamils or Tamil genocide?
The separation of young men and women 'wanted' by the SLA reportedly takes place during the screening process at the so-called 'IDP rescue centres' in the war zone, entirely manned by military personnel.
In mid-90's hundreds of civilians who got into the hands of the SLA in Jaffna were missing. Mass graves of the massacred became known later in a place at Chemma'ni in the Jaffna peninsula. Several instances of rape and murder were proven, whilst the vast majority were not investigated. Those convicted were later released.
The MP expressed fear that a worse situation is faced today.
There are news agencies and websites who claim that the civilians interviewed in the camps accused the LTTE for firing on them and preventing them fleeing. How far these news agencies can expect the civilians living under such terrified conditions to tell the truth other than what is wanted by those who have detained them, asked the MP.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports received from Vanni allege a person directing the war without uniform giving an open licence to the SLA to every form of atrocity, according to sources within SLA, who spoke about it.
If any thing, today's lanka is more dangerous for the Tamils and any one with any common sense knows that. Your lies can however appeal to those without such sense.
With this so called "victory", the Sinhala oppressors will continue their actions of colonization and ethnic cleansing in traditional Tamil homelands at a faster pace. Military Sinhala Colonies with Buddhist shrines will be established in Mannar, The Wanni and Jaffna. Mahinda Rajapakse and his SLFP Sinhala chauvenistic party (the instigator of so much death and destruction) will never give cede any political solution that would meet the aspirations of the Tamil and Muslim minorities. After this "victory" engineered by India, the war will continue but at a lower "gorilla level" and Sri Lanka will be left in the dust bin of history. Sri Lanka will be considered one of those failed third world states unable to develop, only able to produce genocide, refugees and economic migrants. A sad state that the Singhala expats. on the various world wide blogs proudly aspire to.
So that would explain why 60% of Tamils live in (what in the 1980s would be considered) Sinhalese areas? And it would also explain why 40% of the population of Colombo are Tamils?
GO TO SRI LANKA AND SEE FOR YOURSELF
The whole world know what the govt of Srilanka is up to...
1) Tamils have to have identification papers on hand all of time for each checkpoint for each municipality in Sinhala Lanka or face detention, interrogation and torture by the dreaded Terrorist Investigation Division. Each municipal jurisdiction has its own distinct identification papers and these have to be presented along with a bribe at each check point within the jurisdiction in order to survive.
2) Under the dreaded Terrorist Prevention Act enacted by the Sinhala Parliament, Tamils face arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, property expropriation, killing and their bodies can be disposed of without recourse from the Sri Lankan authorities and paramilitaries.
3) Sri Lanka has a peculiar phenomena known as "White Van Syndrome" where the Sri Lankan Military, Police and Paramilitary forces come in white vans without license plates and abduct Tamils and Muslims. The lucky victims pay a ransom and can get away with their lives. The unfortunate ones are never heard of again. Thousands of Tamils and Muslims in Jaffna, Batticola and Colombo have suffered this fate over the last two years.
4) Tamils and Muslims are being restricted for higher education positions and government positions (such as working in the military, civil service and police) simply because they are not Singhalese
5) In Colombo, these days Tamils are having difficulties finding jobs in companies. The Tamil last name during the interview process is enough to disqualify them from job opportunities.
6) Singhala mobs agitated by Budist priests, the Sinhala Urmaya, the JVP, and by SLFP (the ruling Singhala political party of Mahinda Rajapakse) frequently attack and intimidate Tamils and Muslims in order to get their way usually while the police (all Singhalese) are looking on or supporting the actions.
I can go on with many more points but this topic is rather depressing and I have better things to occupy my time.
ONCE AGAIN THE FEEBLE ARGUMENT PRESENTED BY THE SINGHALESE THAT TAMILS ARE SAFE, PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY IN THE SINGHALESE AREAS OF CEYLON IS ABSOLUTELY DECEITFUL. TAMILS USUALLY MOVE SOUTH TO ESCAPE WARFARE OCCURRING IN THE NORTH AND EAST AND TRY TO EMMIGRATE FROM SRI LANKA. INCIDENTLY, ALL OF THE POLICIES MENTIONED ABOVE (1 TO 6) ARE TO 'PASSIVELY' FOSTER THE DEPARTURE OF TAMILS FOR SRI LANKA SO THAT COLONIZATION OF THE NORTH AND EAST BY THE SINGHALESE CAN OCCUR MORE QUICKLY AND SMOOTHLY.
1) Tamils have to have identification papers on hand all of time for each checkpoint for each municipality in Sinhala Lanka or face detention, interrogation and torture by the dreaded Terrorist Investigation Division. Each municipal jurisdiction has its own distinct identification papers and these have to be presented along with a bribe at each check point within the jurisdiction in order to survive."
If you had been to Sri Lanka recently you would know that everybody has to have identification papers.... Sinhalese and Tamil, Hindu and Muslim, Christian and Burgher.
"2) Under the dreaded Terrorist Prevention Act enacted by the Sinhala Parliament, Tamils face arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, property expropriation, killing and their bodies can be disposed of without recourse from the Sri Lankan authorities and paramilitaries."
Introduced 1984 (and it should never have been allowed). Repealed in the 1990s. Update your information, rather than copying verbatim from Tamilnation.org and other propaganda websites.
"3) Sri Lanka has a peculiar phenomena known as "White Van Syndrome" where the Sri Lankan Military, Police and Paramilitary forces come in white vans without license plates and abduct Tamils and Muslims. The lucky victims pay a ransom and can get away with their lives. The unfortunate ones are never heard of again. Thousands of Tamils and Muslims in Jaffna, Batticola and Colombo have suffered this fate over the last two years."
Nice spin. "White Van Syndrome" is where armed gangs of youths drive around to intimidate all kinds of people for extortion, money etc.
"4) Tamils and Muslims are being restricted for higher education positions and government positions (such as working in the military, civil service and police) simply because they are not Singhalese"
Happened in the 1980s, no longer. Please update your information.
"5) In Colombo, these days Tamils are having difficulties finding jobs in companies. The Tamil last name during the interview process is enough to disqualify them from job opportunities."
Happened in the 1980s, no longer. Please update your information. By the way, a few interesting statistics for you...
Unemployment rate of Sinhalese = 11.4%
Unemployment rate of Tamils (in the South) = 10.09%
"6) Singhala mobs agitated by Budist priests, the Sinhala Urmaya, the JVP, and by SLFP (the ruling Singhala political party of Mahinda Rajapakse) frequently attack and intimidate Tamils and Muslims in order to get their way usually while the police (all Singhalese) are looking on or supporting the actions."
This happened in the 1980s, no longer. Please update your information.
"I can go on with many more points but this topic is rather depressing and I have better things to occupy my time.
ONCE AGAIN THE FEEBLE ARGUMENT PRESENTED BY THE SINGHALESE THAT TAMILS ARE SAFE, PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY IN THE SINGHALESE AREAS OF CEYLON IS ABSOLUTELY DECEITFUL. TAMILS USUALLY MOVE SOUTH TO ESCAPE WARFARE OCCURRING IN THE NORTH AND EAST AND TRY TO EMMIGRATE FROM SRI LANKA. INCIDENTLY, ALL OF THE POLICIES MENTIONED ABOVE (1 TO 6) ARE TO 'PASSIVELY' FOSTER THE DEPARTURE OF TAMILS FOR SRI LANKA SO THAT COLONIZATION OF THE NORTH AND EAST BY THE SINGHALESE CAN OCCUR MORE QUICKLY AND SMOOTHLY."
The above is an example of what I have been saying... the Tamil diaspora who left Sri Lanka in the 1980s and never looked back (I don't blame them by the way for the circumstances of which they left - institutional racism against Tamils was endemic, and I find that shameful) are basing their entire argument on things that happened 25 years ago. That dark chapter in Sri Lanka's history has closed, yet the diaspora have failed to update their information since they left. Sri Lanka, while not perfect, is a very different place for Tamils now.
However even they cannot stop, in spite of their initial vehement denials, reports of civilians in safe areas being continuously bombed, hospitals being repeatedly bombed with even cluster bombs (against the Geneva conventions, and then the Defense minister says that it is fair game), people being herded into concentration camps with the government even making plans for the whole population being there for at least 3 years. If you read the few Tamil media sites, they report horror story after horror story and back it with pictures. Bombs that cause the people around that area to be burnt to the cinder (pictures available), men removed from buses and when the buses are told to leave and the men are mowed down (eyewitnesses available), injured left in camps to die without treatment or exposure to international aid agencies, bombs thrown at them when they move to government areas and indiscriminately shot at, doctors told to abort those women that are pregnant.... it goes on and on.
The Sri Lankan president at first promises the British government that he will allow a special envoy and then reneges. Tell me whose behavior is that of the aggressor, the Sri Lankan government and its Sinhalas exclusive army or the LTTE which was borne out of Singhala pogroms and repressions of innocent Tamil civilians? There is no doubt that there is a Tamil genocide taking place. The international community has a duty to act forcefully to find out who is causing it and punish them accordingly. We can't allow another Ruwanda, Kosovo to take place right before our eyes. Then we become complicit in the horror. There is no benefit in supporting the Sri Lankan government, they are a beggar country. There is nothing redeemable coming out of that brutish Singhalese ethnic group. They need to be civilized.
1) Singhalese is the only official language of Sri Lanka.
2) Buddhism is the official Religion of Sri Lanka.
3) Only a Singhalese Buddhist can be the president of Sri Lanka
4) The elimination of constitutional safeguards for minorities in Sri Lanka by repealing the appeals process to the Privy Council in Britain regarding minority issues.
TAMILS AND MUSLIMS IN SRI LANKA HAVE BEEN LIVING UNDER THE JACK BOOT OF SINGHALESE PREJUDICE AND RACISM THAT HAS BEEN CODIFIED INTO SRI LANKAN THE CONSTITUTION.
1) The Sinhalese language, spoken by 75% of the population as their mother tongue, replaced English, spoken at the time by only the elite 5%, as the official language under the Sinhala Only Act of 1956. An amendment was passed in 1958 to allow 'reasonable use of Tamil'; this was supported by the Tamil leaders of the time; only the Trotskyist LSSP and the Communist Party stood for equal rights for the Tamil language. The provisions for Tamil usage were greater than those allowed for Welsh or Gaelic in Britain; Tamil was de facto an official language, with every Tamil speaker given the right of receiving official documents in their native tongue. This position was not changed by the 1972 constitution.
2) Buddhism was NOT made the official religion. The constitution merely made Buddhism primus inter pares. No religion holds the official position held by Anglicanism in the UK.
3) There is no provision which stated that only a Sinhalese Buddhist could be elected President.
4) No sovereign country in the world has any right of appeal to a court of a foreign country. The repeal of appeals to the Privy Council applied not only to minority issues but also to any judgement of the courts in Sri Lanka, including criminal cases.
This is just the kind of disinformation about Sri Lanka that helps to cloud the issues at hand. While we are about it, it should be mentioned that the Tamil political leaders voted to disenfranchise their Indian-born bretheren on the plantations in 1949, with the Sinhalese MPs of the LSSP and CP opposing this.
The Tamils on the other hand, live in well-defined areas such as Croydon, Ilford, Wembley, Tooting etc. This allows the LTTE propagandists and operatives to efficiently extort peaceful Tamil families for money to finance the war.
And what about the Tamils killed by Mr Pirapaharan?
What about the murder of the Mayor of Jaffna, Alfred Duraiappah in 1975? There was no war then. This was the sole 'military action' of the Tigers between 1974 and 1979.
What about Mayor of Jaffna Sarojini Yogeshwaran? Or Pon Sivapalan, who succeeded her?
What about A. Amirthalingam, leader of of the Tamil United Liberation Front? Or the highly respected Neelan Thiruchelvam?
What about MPs V Yogeshwaran, Thangathurai Arunasalam, Saranabawan Shanmuganathan, Sam Thambimuthu, V.Yogasangari, K. Kanagaratnam, K Alalasundaram and S Dharmalingam?
Or Provincial Minister P.Ganeshalingam?
And what about Rajani Thiranagama?
Mr Pirapaharan has probably killed more Tamils than he has killed Sinhalese.
Where else will the Red Cross be under public fire for ordering 2000 body bags. Just yesterday, reports came out that daily, 40 civilians are dying. Frankly, this number is just the official allowed. It probably is hundreds everyday. There are thousands of rocket shells being shelled into so called 'safe zones' by the army.
Young men and women, are being rounded up and taken by the army and its agents. They are not being seen afterwards.
There is no real report. The LTTE have denied, the government has denied, one thing or another.
The truth is, that every country watching Srilanka's nazi war is responsible for the deaths of all these civilians. Not just Tamils, but even Christians(be they even Sinhala like editor Lasantha) will be the first to be killed by this religious fundamentalist government and people.
?27.07.75Alfred DuraiappahMayor/SLFP organizer in Jaffna
?25.05.81A ThiagarajahMP for Vadukkodai
?29.04.83S J MuttaiahUNP Candidate for Chavakachcheri
?29.04.83S RajarathnamUNP Organizer Velvettithurai
?29.04.83K B RathnasinghemUNP Organizer Point Pedro
?12.08.83A R RajasooriyarUNP Organizer Jaffna
?18.09 .84S GopalapillaiUNP Organizer ThambuluvilAmpara
?03.09.85V DharmalingamMP for Manipay
?03.09.85K AlalasunderamMP for Kopai
?06.05.86Sri SabarathnamTELO Leader
?08.03.88S VijayanandanDistrict Secretary of Ceylon Communist Party
?20.03.88V MasterTULF Organizer Kalmunai
?07.03.89S SabarathnamoorthyTULF Ex-DDC Chairman
?13.07.89A AmirthalingamTULF Leader
?13.07.89V YogeswaranEx-TULF MP for Jaffna
?07.05.90Sam ThambimuththuEPRLF MP for Batticaloa
?19.06.90K PathmanabhaEPRLF Leader
?19.06.90W K YogasangarieEPRLF MP for Jaffna
?19.06.90P KirubakaranEx-Finance Minister for NEPC
?28.06.90T GaneshalingamProvincial Minister for North & East
?13.09.94T JeyarajahChairman ChenkaladiPradeshiyaSabha
?31.12.94K KandasamyDeputy Chairman DPLF
?28.04.95K VinthanFormer SLFP Organizer Jaffna
?26.10.95Thomas AntonDeputy Mayor of Batticaloa MC (TELO)
?16.04.96N RajaduraiChairman PoraitivuPradeshiyaSabha(TELO)
?29.09.96K AmirthalingamVice Chairman Vakarai PradeshiyaSabha
?05.07.97A ThangathuraiTULF MP for Trincomalee
?03.10.97S T TharmalingamSLFP Organizer Jaffna
?17.05.98SarojiniYogeswaranMayor of Jaffna MC
?24.06.98S A OswaldSLFP Secretary Jaffna
?15.07.98S ShanmuganadanPLOTE MP Vavuniya
?11.09.98P SivapalanMayor of Jaffna MC
?11.01.99PeterMember of VelvettithuraiPradeshiyaSabha
?14.02.99P KandasamyMember of PradeshiyaSabhaKopaiSouth
?05.05.99V GunarathnamMember of PradeshiyaSabhaPachchlapai
?13.05.99M BalasinghamMember of PradeshiyaSabhaValikamamEast
?29.05.99M GanesakumarLeader of RazeekGroup
?31.09.99T RajkumarMember of PradeshiyaSabhaNallur
?29.07.99Dr NeelanThiruchelvamTULF MP
?02.09.99N ManikkarajanDeputy Leader of PLOTE
?05.01.00Kumar PonnambalamLeader of the Tamil Congress
?07.02.00K KethishwaranFormer EPDP Member
?10.09.00R J PeripenayagamPA Candidate for Batticaloa District
?07.11.00A N SundaranayagamTULF MP Batticaloa District
?1711.01TambirajaJayakumarUNP Candidate for Batticaloa District
?18.04.03M RajalingamMember of EPDP
?14.06.03T S RobbetMember of EPRLF (Vardhangroup)
?28.02.04S SundarampillaiUNP Candidate Batticaloa.
?30.03.04R SathyamurthiTNA Candidate Batticaloa
?19.10.04K RajananagamFormer MP of TNA
?12.08.05LakshmanKadirgamarMP / Minister of Foreign Affairs
?25.12.05J PararajasinghamTNA MP
?10.11.06NadarajahRavirajTNA MP
The Temple of the Tooth Relic, a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site in the hill country of Kandy came under an LTTE suicide bomb attack in the early hours of January 25th, 1998 as a suicide bomber drove a massive explosive laden truck into the Temple killing at least 17 people including 2-year old infant.
The Temple of the Tooth Relic, a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site in the hill country of Kandy came under an LTTE suicide bomb attack in the early hours of January 25th, 1998 as a suicide bomber drove a massive explosive laden truck into the Temple killing at least 17 people including 2-year old infant.
The LTTE has carried out around 1/3 of all suicide attacks in the world.
The use of the cyanide capsule is a standard method of the LTTE suicide bombers to evade arrest. Even its leader VelupillaiPrabhakaranproudly displays a cyanide capsule around his neck and has made it mandatory for all LTTE cadres to carry one, to reflect the spirit of sacrifice and martyrdom expected of an LTTE suicide bomber.
The LTTE has taken its suicide technology into the maritime perimeter by attacking civilian shipping with explosive laden boats. The cargo carrying?MV Liverpool?was attacked off Point Pedro in January 2007.
Analysts have noted the similarity of the LTTE suicide bombing technology and that used in other parts of the world.
Attack on the Dollar Farm &
Kent Farm ?Welioya
On 30 November 1984, LTTE terrorists attacked civilian settlements at Dollar Farm and Kent Farm killing 62 unarmed civilians including women and children.
Child combatants are regularly used in attacks on civilians to ?blood?them.
Attack in the Sacred City of Anuradhapura
On 14 May 1985, LTTE terrorists shot and killed 120 devotees, including children and wounded 85 others in the sacred Buddhist city of Anuradhapura.
KithuluthuwaBus Attack
On 17 April 1987, LTTE terrorists shot dead 122 civilians including women and children and injured 44 others on the Habarana-Trincomalee highway.
AranthalawaMassacre
On 2 June 1987, LTTE terrorists massacred and brutally mutilated 33 young monks and their mentor Chief Priest Ven. HegodaIndrasaraat Aranthalawain Ampara.
KattankudyMuslim Mosque Massacre
On Friday, 4 August 1990, LTTE terrorists opened fire and killed 103 Muslims and injured 70 others while they were praying at the MeeraJummaMosque in Kattankudy.
DehiwelaTrain Massacre
On 24 July 1996, LTTE terrorists detonated multiple bombs on several carriages of the Colombo-Aluthgamatrain in Dehiwelakilling 56 civilians who were returning home in the evening after work.
Barbaric Attacks On Civilians
Attacks on Irrigation Workers in Welikanda
On 29 May 2006, LTTE terrorists killed 12 workers and injured 2 others in Welikanda.
KebitigollawaBus Massacre
On 15 June 2006, LTTE terrorists detonated a claymore mine in Kebitigollawakilling 64 civilians, including children and Buddhist monks, and injured 39 others.
NittambuwaBus Blast
On 5 January 2007, LTTE terrorists exploded a powerful bomb killing 6 civilians and injuring 63 others in the Nittambuwatown.
SeenigamaBus Blast
On 6 January 2007, LTTE terrorists exploded a powerful bomb inside a civilian bus in Seenigama, killing 15 civilians and injuring 40 others.
Cheddikulam Bus Blast
On 23 April 2007, LTTE terrorists detonated a claymore mine on the Mannar -Medawachchiyaroad, killing 7 civilians and injuring 37 others.
RatmalanaBomb Blast
On 28 May 2007, LTTE terrorists detonated a claymore mine on Galle Road in Ratmalana, killing 8 civilians and injuring 36 others.
The SIMPLE FACT YOU TALK ABOUT LTTE WHEN WE TALK TAMILS PEOPLE's KILLINGS IS THE EVIDENCE THAT YOU DONT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LTTE AND TAMIL PEOPLE.
If we need to give a list of what You did to tamils ( not to LTTE) the server of this website wont have have enough space...
So STOP your nonsense and come to the reality
?27.07.75Alfred DuraiappahMayor/SLFP organizer in Jaffna
?25.05.81A ThiagarajahMP for Vadukkodai
?29.04.83S J MuttaiahUNP Candidate for Chavakachcheri
?29.04.83S RajarathnamUNP Organizer Velvettithurai
?29.04.83K B RathnasinghemUNP Organizer Point Pedro
?12.08.83A R RajasooriyarUNP Organizer Jaffna
?18.09 .84S GopalapillaiUNP Organizer ThambuluvilAmpara
?03.09.85V DharmalingamMP for Manipay
?03.09.85K AlalasunderamMP for Kopai
?06.05.86Sri SabarathnamTELO Leader
?08.03.88S VijayanandanDistrict Secretary of Ceylon Communist Party
?20.03.88V MasterTULF Organizer Kalmunai
?07.03.89S SabarathnamoorthyTULF Ex-DDC Chairman
?13.07.89A AmirthalingamTULF Leader
?13.07.89V YogeswaranEx-TULF MP for Jaffna
?07.05.90Sam ThambimuththuEPRLF MP for Batticaloa
?19.06.90K PathmanabhaEPRLF Leader
?19.06.90W K YogasangarieEPRLF MP for Jaffna
?19.06.90P KirubakaranEx-Finance Minister for NEPC
?28.06.90T GaneshalingamProvincial Minister for North & East
?13.09.94T JeyarajahChairman ChenkaladiPradeshiyaSabha
?31.12.94K KandasamyDeputy Chairman DPLF
?28.04.95K VinthanFormer SLFP Organizer Jaffna
?26.10.95Thomas AntonDeputy Mayor of Batticaloa MC (TELO)
?16.04.96N RajaduraiChairman PoraitivuPradeshiyaSabha(TELO)
?29.09.96K AmirthalingamVice Chairman Vakarai PradeshiyaSabha
?05.07.97A ThangathuraiTULF MP for Trincomalee
?03.10.97S T TharmalingamSLFP Organizer Jaffna
?17.05.98SarojiniYogeswaranMayor of Jaffna MC
?24.06.98S A OswaldSLFP Secretary Jaffna
?15.07.98S ShanmuganadanPLOTE MP Vavuniya
?11.09.98P SivapalanMayor of Jaffna MC
?11.01.99PeterMember of VelvettithuraiPradeshiyaSabha
?14.02.99P KandasamyMember of PradeshiyaSabhaKopaiSouth
?05.05.99V GunarathnamMember of PradeshiyaSabhaPachchlapai
?13.05.99M BalasinghamMember of PradeshiyaSabhaValikamamEast
?29.05.99M GanesakumarLeader of RazeekGroup
?31.09.99T RajkumarMember of PradeshiyaSabhaNallur
?29.07.99Dr NeelanThiruchelvamTULF MP
?02.09.99N ManikkarajanDeputy Leader of PLOTE
?05.01.00Kumar PonnambalamLeader of the Tamil Congress
?07.02.00K KethishwaranFormer EPDP Member
?10.09.00R J PeripenayagamPA Candidate for Batticaloa District
?07.11.00A N SundaranayagamTULF MP Batticaloa District
?1711.01TambirajaJayakumarUNP Candidate for Batticaloa District
?18.04.03M RajalingamMember of EPDP
?14.06.03T S RobbetMember of EPRLF (Vardhangroup)
?28.02.04S SundarampillaiUNP Candidate Batticaloa.
?30.03.04R SathyamurthiTNA Candidate Batticaloa
?19.10.04K RajananagamFormer MP of TNA
?12.08.05LakshmanKadirgamarMP / Minister of Foreign Affairs
?25.12.05J PararajasinghamTNA MP
?10.11.06NadarajahRavirajTNA MP
Front (TULF) and former Opposition Leader
A. AmirthalingamDate: 13 July 1989Location : BullersLane, ColomboType of Attack : Shot inside his home
Assassination of Former Foreign Minister and State Minister for Defence RanjanWijeratne
Date: 2 March 1991Location : Havelock Town, ColomboType of Explosive : High ExplosiveDevice : Suicide VehicleCasualties : 25 killed, 70 injured
Assassination of Navy Commander Vice Admiral Clancy Fernando
Date: 16 November 1992
Location : Galle Face Road, Colombo
Type of Explosive : High Explosive
Device : Male suicide bomber
Casualties : 4 Naval personnel killed
ASSASINATION OF SRI LANKA PRESIDENT R. Premadasa
Date: 1 May 1993
Location : ArmourStreet, Colombo
Type of Explosive : High Explosive
Device : Male suicide bomber
Casualties : 15 killed, 33 injured
Assassination of PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE & Opposition Leader Gamini Dissanayake
Date: 24 October 1994Type of Explosive : High ExplosiveLocation : Thotalanga, ColomboDevice : Female suicide bomberCasualties : 56 killed including prominent politicians. 70 injured
Assassination of eminent Tamil intellectual and constitutional expert
Dr. NeelanThiruchelvam
Date: 29 July 1999
Location: Colombo
Type of Explosive : High Explosive
Device: Male suicide bomber
Assassination of Minister C. V. Gooneratne
Date: 7 June 2000
Location : Ratmalana
Type of Explosive : High Explosive
Device : Male suicide bomber
Casualties : 29 killed, 65 injured
Assassination of FOREIGN MINISTER
Lakshman Kadirgamar
Date: 12 August 2005
Location : At his home, Colombo
Type of Attack : Shot by a sniper gunman
Assassination of Army Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. ParamiKulatunge
Date: 26 June 2006
Location : Pannipitiya
Type of Explosive : High Explosive
Device : Male suicide bomber
Casualties : 4 killed, 7 injured
Assassination of Deputy Secretary General of the Government Peace Secretariat KetheshLoganathan
Date: 12 August 2006
Location : At his home, Dehiwala
Type of Attack : LTTE Pistol Group
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATIONS IN SRI LANKA
Attempted Assassination of Minister NimalSiripalaDe Silva
Date: 04 July 1996
Location : Stanley Road, Jaffna
Type of Explosive : High Explosive
Device : Suicide bomber
Casualties : 21 killed, 64 injured
Attempted Assassination of SRI LANKA PRESIDENT, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga
Date: 18 December 1999
Location : Town Hall, Colombo
Type of Explosive : High Explosive
Device : Female suicide bomber
Casualties : 21 killed, 100 injured and PRESIDENT LOST ONE EYE
Attempted Assassination of Minister
Douglas Devananda
Date: 07 July 2004
Location : Kollupitiya, Colombo
Type of Explosive : High Explosive
Device: Femalesuicide bomber
Casualties: 4 killed, 9 injured
Attempted Assassination of Army Commander
Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka
Date: 25 April 2006
Location : Army Headquarters, Colombo
Type of Explosive : High Explosive
Device : Female suicide bomber
Casualties : 9 killed, 12 injured
Attempted Assassination of DefenceSecretary GotabhayaRajapaksa
Date : 1 December 2006Location : Kollupitiya, Colombo
Type of Explosive : High ExplosiveDevice: Male suicide bomber
Casualties: 2 killed, 12 injured
ATTACKS ON FOREIGN DIGNITARIES
Assassination of FormerPrime Minister of India
Rajiv Gandhi
Date: 21 May 1991
Location : Sri Perumpuddur, India
Type of Explosive : High Explosive
Device : Female suicide bomber
Casualties : 17 killed, 32 injured
Attempted Assassination of Pakistan
High Commissioner BashirWaliMohamed
Date : 14 August 2006
Location : Kollupitiya, Colombo
Type of Explosive : High Explosive
Device: Remote controlled suicide device fixed to a three-wheel vehicle
Casualties: 7 killed, 8 injured
Attack on a group of Diplomats in Batticaloa
Date: 27 March 2007
Location: Webber Stadium, Batticaloa
Type of incident: Mortar and Artillery attack
.In October 1994 LTTE destroyed the MV Ocean Traderoff Vettilaikerni
.In June 1995 LTTE destroyed the MV Sea Danceroff Kankesanturai
.In August 1995 LTTE attacked the MV Lanka Mudithaoff Kankesanturai
.In August 1995, the LTTE hijacked and looted the MV Irish Monaoff Mulaithivu.
.In April 1996, the LTTE staged an abortive attack on the port ofColombo and damaged three foreign owned vessels.
.In August 1996, the LTTE blasted the Philippine registered MV Princess Wavewith underwater explosives while it was loading mineral sands atPulmoddai. The cargo was for a Japanese consignee. 15 soldiers were killed.
.In May 1997, the LTTE blasted MV Athena, a Greek registered bulk carrier while in anchor in Trincomalee.
.In July 1997, the LTTE set fire to a 500 seat passenger ferry MV Mission, an Indonesian flagged vessel, transporting Tamil civilians from Mannar to Jaffna.
.In July 1997, the LTTE captured the North Korean registered, flagged, and crewed MV MorangBong, a 3000 ton general cargo vessel, which was anchored off Point Pedro. It had delivered a consignment of food to the Jaffna peninsula.
.In September 1997, the LTTE captured a Panama-registered, Chinese owned MV Cordiality, a bulk carrier, which was transporting essential food cargo. 5 Chinese crew members were killed.
.In August 1998, the LTTE hijacked the Indian owned MV Princess Kashoff Mullaittivu. The 6000 ton ship, chartered from Dubai based Goodwill company was transporting cement, dry food rations and vehicles for civilian use in Jaffna.
.In July 1999, LTTE destroyed the MV NewcoEnduranceat Trincomalee Harbour
.In September 1999, LTTE attacked the MV Juliaoff North of Mullativu
.In June 2000, LTTE destroyed the MV MercsUhanaoff Point Pedro
.In September 2001, LTTE attacked the MV Prideoff Point Pedro
.In October 2001, LTTE attacked the MT Dunhindaoff Point Pedro
.In March 2003, a Chinese fishing trawler namedFu-Yuan was captured and was exploded by the LTTE, killing 20 of its crew members.
.In December 2006, the LTTE attacked the Jordanian vessel MV Farah IIIand looted the ship.
.In January 2007, MV Liverpooldelivering relief supplies to Jaffna was attacked off Point Pedro.
he stashed away money in overseas accounts for himself and his family. He has led impressionable men and women into suicide bombing missions for the cause that he generated for personal interest.
Reports indicate, Hundreds of wounded people were taken by the Red Cross by ferry from a makeshift clinic in the war-zone town of Putamattalan to a hospital in the eastern city of Trincomalee. Many of those who were injured reported that they had been fired on by LTTE fighters when they sought to cross the front line to the government side.
LTTE cowards are using the Tamils as human shields with little or no regard for
the civilian casualties. These civilians are the only trump card that they hold. Remove
the civilians from the theatre of war, and the world will forget LTTE and let them be crushed by national forces. Civilian casualties are propaganda war for LTTE, a means of selfish survival.
Wake up Tamils - LTTE never had your interest at heart.
The LTTE is notorious for its suicide bombings. Since the late 1980s, the group has conducted more than 200 suicide bombings?far more than any other terrorist group. Tamil Tigers have staged two thirds of all the suicide bombings in the world. LTTE suicide bombers have attacked civilians on mass transit, at Buddhist shrines, and in office buildings. In October 1997, a suicide truck bomb killed 18 people at the 39-story World Trade Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka?s capital. Beyond suicide bombings, the LTTE have used conventional bombs against political, economical and civilian targets and have gunned down both Sri Lankan officials and civilians. LTTE fighters wear cyanide capsules around their necks, so they can commit suicide if they are captured.
LTTE: Ethnic Strife or Tamil Separatist Terrorism?
Human Bombs, Child Soldiers, Assassinations and Massacres - Hallmarks of Tamil Tigers
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), while masquerading as a liberation organisation, has murdered and massacred thousands of innocent civilians from all ethnic communities - Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka. Tamil Tigers have assassinated many moderate Tamil leaders of the country in a systematic manner from the beginning of 1980s. Vellupillai Prabhakaran, leader of the LTTE, has established a rule of terror in Jaffna, many of his own lieutenants have been murdered; Tamils who have criticised him, even mildly, have been picked up, tortured and executed; others have been held in dungeons, half starved, hauled out periodically for a battering by the guards.. Prabhakaran has shown a bloodthirstiness in dealing with opponents that has compared with some of the cruelest figures in Asian history, including Pol Pot of Cambodia. The evidence is that LTTE much prefers killing to democracy and has no wish to test the opinion of the people in whose name they commit so much murder.
Child Soldiers
Participation in armed conflicts, even voluntarily, by children below the age of 15 is an offence, according to the Geneva Convention, 1948, and the two amendments to it, adopted in 1997, as well as Article 38 of the UN Convention on Rights of the Child. In the decade ending 1999, nearly two million child soldiers were killed in the various conflicts, worldwide. According to an April 2000 estimate, there are some 2,000 children in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE) ranks. Child soldiers were originally recruited into the LTTE?s baby brigade, commandeered by Justin. But, after 1987, they were integrated with adult units.
What happened to Rajiv Gandhi?
LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham translates in Tamil a question posed by a journalist to LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran during his first media briefing in 12 years. The LTTE is on an image-building mission aimed at changing world opinion of its organisation as a terrorist group and the press conference in Wanni was part of this effort.
The LTTE has carried out around 1/3 of all suicide attacks in the world.
The use of the cyanide capsule is a standard method of the LTTE suicide bombers to evade arrest. Even its leader VelupillaiPrabhakaranproudly displays a cyanide capsule around his neck and has made it mandatory for all LTTE cadres to carry one, to reflect the spirit of sacrifice and martyrdom expected of an LTTE suicide bomber.
The LTTE has taken its suicide technology into the maritime perimeter by attacking civilian shipping with explosive laden boats. The cargo carrying?MV Liverpool?was attacked off Point Pedro in January 2007.
Analysts have noted the similarity of the LTTE suicide bombing technology and that used in other parts of the world.
Attack on the Dollar Farm &
Kent Farm ?Welioya
On 30 November 1984, LTTE terrorists attacked civilian settlements at Dollar Farm and Kent Farm killing 62 unarmed civilians including women and children.
Child combatants are regularly used in attacks on civilians to ?blood?them.
Attack in the Sacred City of Anuradhapura
On 14 May 1985, LTTE terrorists shot and killed 120 devotees, including children and wounded 85 others in the sacred Buddhist city of Anuradhapura.
KithuluthuwaBus Attack
On 17 April 1987, LTTE terrorists shot dead 122 civilians including women and children and injured 44 others on the Habarana-Trincomalee highway.
AranthalawaMassacre
On 2 June 1987, LTTE terrorists massacred and brutally mutilated 33 young monks and their mentor Chief Priest Ven. HegodaIndrasaraat Aranthalawain Ampara.
KattankudyMuslim Mosque Massacre
On Friday, 4 August 1990, LTTE terrorists opened fire and killed 103 Muslims and injured 70 others while they were praying at the MeeraJummaMosque in Kattankudy.
DehiwelaTrain Massacre
On 24 July 1996, LTTE terrorists detonated multiple bombs on several carriages of the Colombo-Aluthgamatrain in Dehiwelakilling 56 civilians who were returning home in the evening after work.
Barbaric Attacks On Civilians
Attacks on Irrigation Workers in Welikanda
On 29 May 2006, LTTE terrorists killed 12 workers and injured 2 others in Welikanda.
KebitigollawaBus Massacre
On 15 June 2006, LTTE terrorists detonated a claymore mine in Kebitigollawakilling 64 civilians, including children and Buddhist monks, and injured 39 others.
NittambuwaBus Blast
On 5 January 2007, LTTE terrorists exploded a powerful bomb killing 6 civilians and injuring 63 others in the Nittambuwatown.
SeenigamaBus Blast
On 6 January 2007, LTTE terrorists exploded a powerful bomb inside a civilian bus in Seenigama, killing 15 civilians and injuring 40 others.
Cheddikulam Bus Blast
On 23 April 2007, LTTE terrorists detonated a claymore mine on the Mannar -Medawachchiyaroad, killing 7 civilians and injuring 37 others.
RatmalanaBomb Blast
On 28 May 2007, LTTE terrorists detonated a claymore mine on Galle Road in Ratmalana, killing 8 civilians and injuring 36 others.