Sri Lanka government denies safe-zone shelling

by Amy Judd | April 10, 2009 at 08:26 am

359 views | 45 Recommendations | 10 comments

The Sri Lankan government has stated that they are not shelling a safe zone intended for civilians in the north-east of the country.

The Health Minister of Sri Lanka, Nimal Siripala de Silva, has blamed the Tamil Tiger rebels for spreading propaganda about what is happening in the country.

The Tiger rebels have said that civilians are dying due to the military shelling the safe zone and killing innocent people. Meanwhile the Sri Lankan army has said that they have captured all the rebel held terriroty outside of the safe zone after days of fighting each other.

De Silva's version of what is happening cannot be verified as journalists are not allowed into the area.

The government says doctors in the safe zone have been under pressure from the rebels to exaggerate civilian casualties.

"These health officials are being held hostage by the [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)]," the health minister said.

"They will not be able to survive there... their families would have been killed by the LTTE if they don't make statements in favour of the LTTE."

The Tamil Tigers have issued no reaction to what was said.
The government has said that the international community is not believing anything of what they are saying and are only believing the Tiger rebels.

Meanwhile, the New York-based human rights group, Human Rights Watch, said Sri Lanka's "so-called no-fire-zone is now one of the most dangerous places in the world".

The government denies any instances of shelling.
The United Nations has said that over 2,800 civilians have been killed so far and more than 7,000 injured over the last two months alone.
They also accused the rebel forces of not allowing civilians to leave the war zone as the Tamil Tigers are shooting anyone who tries to leave; the rebels are claiming this is not true.

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Tamiya

at 08:43 on April 10th, 2009

Thank you for the coverage Amyjudd.

Sri Lankan Government is running the current war on Tamils under the heavy veil of media ban.

Only sources tell the Tamils' side of the news is websites like Tamilnet.com. Many do accuses the site of pro-LTTE, but BBC uses Tamilnet.com to quote details. I think that provides a reasonable amount of confidence to be put on the sources.

When the main and professional journalists are banned and killed in Sri Lanka, the only way the real news can reach the world is by amateur reporters, photos and videos.

If the Sri Lankan government,

(1) Ceasefire

(2) Lift media ban

(3) Allow aids and aids groups to reach the war zone

you can get much more realistic view of the war zone, the real what has been going on the war zones.

Thank you again for your news on the Current Humanitarian Crisis in Sri Lanka.

Amy Judd

at 08:52 on April 10th, 2009

I agree, the media ban needs to be lifted so that multiple sources can be allowed access to tell the stories.

Hiranya Malwatta

at 10:03 on April 10th, 2009

A narrow strip of sandy/marshy land across the lagoon which separates the NFZ from Mulaitivu mainland has been cleared and made safe by the Army and this has made it easier for the Civilians to get across the lagoon to the other side. This makes it not necessary for the people close to that area to get into deep waters to escape.

The uploaded video shows civilians coming across this new route. And the above info is according to the reporter on the video.

Tamiya

at 09:14 on April 10th, 2009

Only the few sources from independent media have reported the issue:

Hunting the Tigers - SBC Dateline Australia

http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/watch/id/600020/n/Hunting-the-Tigers

Journalism under threat in Sri Lanka - Al Jazeera Network

http://www.nowpublic.com/world/sri-lanka-journalism-under-threat-aljazeera-english-0

senthil5000

at 10:37 on April 10th, 2009

People, check this report from Human Rights Watch released yesterday (9-Apr-2009) about sri lanka's shelling on safe zone:

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/04/09/sri-lanka-stop-shelling-no-fire-zone

sathyajith

at 11:49 on April 10th, 2009

I hope that These civilians will be rescued soon. Tamil Terrorgroup ltte keeping these civilians as Humanshields.

Why shall gov of Sri Lanka reserve a area as no fire zone to fire in to it?

Tamil terrorists are killing innocents civilians and put the blame on SL gov.

Sir John Holmes UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, writing to The Guardian UK of April 08, 2009, said:

"Civilians trapped by the fighting must be allowed a free choice of whether to leave or stay, as we have made clear to the LTTE. If the LTTE truly has the best interests of the Tamil people at heart, they should contribute to ending this unnecessary civilian suffering.

"The LTTE's leadership claims that the civilians in the conflict zone do not want to leave because they accompanied the LTTE voluntarily in the first place and are afraid of government reprisals. Yet there are continuing reports that the group's fighters are shooting at fleeing civilians, limiting fishing and sabotaging boats that might be used to escape, and forcing people to fight against their will."

Tamiya

at 14:52 on April 10th, 2009

You think the Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch is lying or you think he also belongs to Tigers?

Sri Lanka’s so-called ‘no-fire zone’ is now one of the most dangerous places in the world. The Security Council has quibbled over protocol when it should be acting to bring an end to this ghastly loss of life.

Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch

People in the government-declared no-fire zone told Human Rights Watch that several areas have been subjected to heavy shelling since April 7, 2009, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. According to a doctor at the make-shift hospital in Putumattalan, on April 7 the hospital received 133 wounded civilians and 20 dead bodies. He said that all were the victims of a shelling in Pokkanai, a seaside area within the no-fire zone that is crowded with displaced persons.

Two other shelling attacks hit the same area on the morning of April 8. The doctor said the hospital received 296 wounded and 46 bodies on April 8, and 300 wounded and 62 bodies on April 9. Because of a lack of access to the conflict area, Human Rights Watch is unable to confirm these figures independently. On April 9 the International Committee of the Red Cross evacuated 230 injured civilians plus their relatives by ferry from Putumattalan.

Aayini (not verified)

at 17:32 on April 10th, 2009

From this war, not only Tamils but Sinhalese will be affected as well. Right now, the Tamils are losing their lives and sooner Sinhalese will be in poverty because the SL government is running in deficit and is begging other countries for money to buy weapons. Do you think a county is stupid enough to give money for nothing? I am sure who ever lends money to SL government will try to get something out of the county. And the only thing SL has is natural resources and if other countries are after that then what are Sinhalese left with? Nothing!

People, before it is too late, please step in and do something to stop the war. From this war no one is going to gain anything but loss of lives and getting people into poverty.

Hiranya Malwatta

at 23:25 on April 10th, 2009

"People in the government-declared no-fire zone told Human Rights Watch that...."

How many people in NFZ have satellite phones?

The doctor in question used a satellite phone of the LTTE to contact HRW or he used his own? Would be interesting to know.

sudharaka

at 07:21 on April 11th, 2009

@Tamiya, senthil5000
GoSL has made pretty clear that a 48 hour ceasefire will be in effect once the USA assures that the LTTE would release the hostages in the NFZ.
In any event hostages will be freed and the LTTE will be ANNHIALATED.
Make no mistake abt it