World

Colombo Says Shelling Images 'fake' -- Hospital Bombed

by Barbara McPherson | May 3, 2009 at 09:02 am

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The military in Sri Lanka have declared the shelling of the makeshift hospital in the conflict zone to be staged. Their take on the incident is that the Tamil Tigers staged the photos that were presented to the world.
The foreign ministers of Britain and France have urged the Sri Lankan government to allow humanitarian aid into the small area left under the Tigers control. As many as 50 000 may still be squeezed into a tiny strip of land.

Sri Lanka's military has accused the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam of fabricating images that purported to show the aftermath of a deadly army attack on a hospital in the conflict zone.

Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, Sri Lanka's military spokesman, said on Saturday that the claims were the latest in a series of "exaggerated stories" by those sympathetic to the LTTE.

"There is no shelling taking place; we have never shelled this place and it happened in an area where the LTTE [are in control]," he told Al Jazeera.

The Sri Lankan government has consistently refused to allow independent journalists into the area to observe and report.

It is impossible to independently verify reports from the army or LTTE due to journalists and international organisations being barred from the war zone.

Sri Lanka Army Shelled Mullivaikkal Hospital 29 Apr 2009

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sudharaka

at 09:17 on May 3rd, 2009

Thanks for the story. However, the essence of the story has been left out.

But Al Jazeera's David Chater, reporting from Colombo on Sunday, said Sri Lankan military experts "have analysed the pictures and claim they were deliberately posed for propaganda purposes".

"Their analysis: 'Not a single scratch mark on the fridge with a body lying at its base, unbroken glass bottles and no pellet marks on the walls, a bottle remains steady on the stretcher, all after the claimed shelling'," he said.

"The message, the government says, is clear: The foreign media have been taken for a ride by the Tamil Tigers."

The Sri Lankan government has consistently refused to allow independent journalists into the area to observe and report.

Not correct at all.

Getting to the frontline of the Sri Lankan army's war with the Tamil Tigers entailed a hair-rising helicopter trip over the jungle and a bone-jarring ride past scorched homes to the war zone.

Foreign journalists and aid groups have generally been kept away from the area where government troops have battled the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for months.

On those rare occasions when the government permits a trip to the front, the hazardous journey there and back takes just one day. Yet, as I found out, it could be a world away.

sathyajith

at 10:38 on May 3rd, 2009

Nothing is impossible!

These civilians could have killed by ltte (TkT=Tamils kill Tamils)

Barbara McPherson

at 09:32 on May 3rd, 2009

Thank you for this additional information. You are certainly more familiar with this situation than I am. Let's hope for a speedy settlement to this very nasty situation.

lalith

at 23:16 on May 5th, 2009

Good post Barbara.

I see your concern. This is what the Terrorist propaganda machinery is doing right now. Giving out false information to lure people, especially foreigners to believe them. Fortunately, you posted the story and it will be commented on by readers holding many views about the present situation.

Very soon, we will be able to see where this post will finally end, after all the comments.

"As many as 50 000 may still be squeezed into a tiny strip of land"

We are not sure of the numbers. What we have right now is about 10,000 to 15,000. This is only a 'ball-park' figure.

Also, 5 sq. km (although shrinking) is a sizable piece of land. 5km x1km?

Being a Canadian, you will agree that the situation would have been much worse if your country had not admitted 400,000 Tamils into your country.

Once the war is over, I'm sure they can come back and spend all their "demonstrative" energy to rebuild Sri Lanka.