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India: 70,000 trapped in Sri Lanka war zone
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by sathyajith | February 18, 2009 at 03:46 am
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Update:
India offers Sri Lanka evacuation
Tens of thousands of civilians are still believed to be trapped
Earlier the Number of civilians were estimated to by about 250000.?? any way This is a good move from India as i commented yesterday.
The time to rescue civilians passing rapidly and in this case India has to act now.
sathyajith at 02:01 on February 17th, 2009 Thanks for your comment and now India must immidiatly act to help the civilians to get escape from thoes areas. I think India has got enough mechanism and ability to do it. This is a little hope for "rescuing civilians"
NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- India on Wednesday urged Sri Lanka's Tamil rebels to "release" civilians, who it said numbered about 70,000 in Sri Lanka's war zone.
A Sri Lankan soldier poses in front of a Tamil Tigers emblem in the rebel group's former military headquarters.
India is ready to help evacuate them, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Indian parliament.
"Estimates on the number of civilians trapped vary, but 70,000 or so are estimated to be there now. The LTTE were reportedly using them as human shields," he said, referring to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, also known as the Tamil Tigers.
"As the conflict enters what may be the final phase of military operations, the LTTE would best serve the interest of the Tamils by immediately releasing all civilians and laying down arms," Mukherjee added.
He noted that some civilians had either been caught in cross-fire or "stopped and even killed" by Tamil rebels as they tried to escape.
Government troops and the Tamil Tigers are locked in a battle over the rebels' remaining territory in northern Sri Lanka's Vanni region.
The rebels have been fighting for an independent homeland for the country's ethnic Tamil minority since 1983.
Tens of thousands of people have fled the region as government forces have advanced and rebels have been pushed into a smaller and smaller patch of land.
Update:
UN Under-Secretary-General Sir John Holmes to visit Sri Lanka
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has requested the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to arrange a visit to Sri Lanka by one of his colleagues with a view to familiarize himself with the initiatives undertaken by the Government of Sri Lanka to address the humanitarian needs of civilians and IDPs held hostage by the LTTE in the North of Sri Lanka.
First of all must this TkT come to an end
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at 04:17 on February 18th, 2009
Update:
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
at 05:34 on February 18th, 2009
In fact more than 450 000 Tamil civilians trapped in the war zone, LTTE does not hold the civilians since the Sri Lnkan and Indian forces are killing the fleeing civilians they are affraid to go out.
at 05:50 on February 18th, 2009
LTTE ARE holding civilians and the SLA ARE killing fleeing civilian youths. If I stand corrected, it was a Sinhala family who witnessed the mass burial of Tamil youths by the SLA in, is it Anuradhapura?
About the situation for those who manage to escape, there IS a metal window seperating them to the outside worldin Vavuniya. They cannot talk freely as the SLA stand guarded nearby, but they have the freedom to request/receive things such as food/clothing from families and friends from the outside and can talk to them. But what is freedom without freedom of movement? My cousin's brother in law was in the zone and had wounds and managed to escape. If there is a freedom of speech, I'll update you on his story.....
at 12:50 on February 18th, 2009
Tiana, it's time you updated your general knowledge database.
Point out one incident that occurred during the past 3 years.
I told you once before, if you are bent on talking about the past, I can give you loads and loads of brutal massacres of Sinhala and Muslim civilians committed by the same outfit the Tamil diaspora is trying so hard to protect, not to mention funded by their money.
at 13:00 on February 18th, 2009
You know what, before there were human casualties, I did not care about Mahinda or his government. People dying in the warzone is one incident too many. You think 40 people dying on average each day should be taken with a pinch of salt as confirmed by the government doctor in the area? What is he doing about it? Is he accepting international pleas to save the civilians?? Are the civilians getting adequate medical supplies? Food?? Is he allowing the world media to cover the whole thing so we know the truth?? Apart from continuing to kill civilians at the expense of military victory?? For your information, I never funded any organisation, if I'm going to provide finanicial assistance to the civilians, I would do it through relatives in Sri Lanka, not through any organisation. I see you decided to take the last bit out of your comment. lol.
Get the people out, then finish the war. Time will tell if he, indeed, was meant to be a president. Mahinda could start off with admitting civilian deaths/casualties to the world as a first step. What is really frustrating the Tamils is the government's continuous insistence that there are hardly any civilian casualties.
at 13:11 on February 18th, 2009
another incident..
U.S. condemns forced removal of Tamils but fails to call for return of evicted Tamilsto their homes
The Embassy of the United States of America in a press release issued from Colombo Friday condemned the forced removal of Tamils from Colombo. "Such measures violate the Sri Lankan Constitution’s guarantee that every citizen has the right to freedom of movement and choice of residence within Sri Lanka," the U.S. Embassy said.
at 23:45 on February 18th, 2009
Good. Talk about what's happening now. I never questioned your right to talk about what's happening in the war zone. Bringing in some past massacres committed during someone else's regime and making it look like present government's lot is not right and does not look very logical. And yes denying any civilian casualties happen is not right, I agree with you. But purposely hunting down civilians, or massacres, or genocide, or whatever term anyone would like to call it - does not happen.
at 22:25 on February 20th, 2009
time to get your facts right ... Sir Ponnambalem Ramanathan fought with the Singhelse people to get win against the muslims and to put an end to the riots. its in the Singhalese people to fight wars with people this time with the people who helped them win against muslims. When Singhalese backstab tamils do you think tamils are going to be alrite with it. They raise protests is gandhian way when that didn't work they took up arms. Should i go further to say how Singhalese won wars by cheating example with Ellalan a great soldier killed by Singhalese king against the soldiers code of honour.. if you go now also they have built the temple on ellalan by the Singhalese king because of his guilt.
at 03:56 on February 19th, 2009
"Sinhala family who witnessed the mass burial of Tamil youths by the SLA in, is it Anuradhapura??"
That was on the Theepam news last week. I'm not going to mention some random event that took place ages ago. I don't know how much truth there is in that, which is why I'm hoping someone else who watched it will correct me, however, seeing
at 11:43 on February 19th, 2009
This is the first time I'm hearing about this - please give more information if you receive any.
at 06:17 on February 18th, 2009
Whoever is posting the images, they're too graphic!!! God!!! Children and pregnant women should not be seeing those! :( Just saw an image of someone whose head is missing :(
at 07:55 on February 18th, 2009
about the topic at hand, it's about time India intervened and monitored everything including the rehabilitation of those who escaped. Phew.....
at 17:31 on February 19th, 2009
Why should India interven in the internal affairs of another country? Sri Lanka has got a capable and democratic government that handle the situation very effectively. Why should India government listen to the mouthpieces of a terrorist organisation like LTTE that murdered a former prime minister of her brutally?
Rehabilitation..?? Do one thing. Let the tamil diaspora - who are aiding terrorist LTTE financially to buy weapons and to support the posh underground life style of Pirapaharan - donate the money to Sri Lankan government. It is guaranteed that with a small percentage of the money coming to LTTE, these internaly displaced tamils in Sri Lanka can be made internaly yesplaced.
Maybe Indian government is ready to "monitor " the situation if it gets money from the wealthy LTTE supporters.
.Agent.
at 08:49 on February 18th, 2009
The crocodile tears that the people shed in the guise of being "politically correct" is the worst crime commited, even worse than those committed by the terrorists themselves. It is this pack who backed the LTTE terrorists in the first place.
at 08:54 on February 18th, 2009
Since the defeat is now imminent, this lot has now switched to a "seemingly" anti LTTE stance. What blows their cover is their plain hatred towards SL Govt. and forces and how they bend everything to their whims and fancies.
at 09:00 on February 18th, 2009
This bunch of loosers are wholly resposible for the fate of their kith and kin by leaving them at the mercy of LTTE terrorists. This brazen lot has no dignity and what they do now is equal to hiding their heads while running around stark naked.
at 09:59 on February 18th, 2009
Nobody is important enough for certain individuals to repeatedly put their point across.. Not worth it.
at 19:11 on February 18th, 2009
There is an obvious alternative for such "concerned" individuals like u. Don't you feel that you should take the issue up with the LTTE Terrorists to get your kith and kind released from their current misery.
at 19:15 on February 18th, 2009
It is a much more noble course of action than reiterating blatent falsehoods and fantasies. After all it is not a secret under whose auspices the LTTE became what it is today. Act with responsibility at least now.
at 22:33 on February 20th, 2009
terrorist in this case LTTE are an outcome.. who was the cause and root of this problem?? The govenment why?? they dint give equal right and tamils were reduced to dogs so watt they are the minority?? is this what your call a democratic country? why should buddhist monks come in to politics?? what did buddha preach??? how did buddha get enlightment?? should Srilanka go in ways lik tibet?? how far can Sri lanka go to save its country??? unite as Srilankans?? who will will be brave to accept their mistakes the government or the terrorist?? who are the representatives of sri lanka?? does it speak for entire sri lankan people in unison?? now atlast wat our solution to unite us to find da definite solution to satisfy all citizens equally?? what do sri lankans want altogether??