Sri Lanka: Massacre of Civilians in the Absence of Witness

In attempt to hide the mounting civilian casualties, the Sri Lankan military is putting the blame squarely on the rebels by preventing aid agencies in the area say Tamils in the northern Sri Lanka. Tuesday, in the second day in a row the Sri Lanka's military accused the rebel Tamil Tigers of killing at least 17 people fleeing from the country's shrinking war zone.

Military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) opened fire on a group of more than 1,000 civilians trying to leave the war zone in Udayarkattu. At least 17 people were killed and 69 wounded, he said. Other reports indicated 19 people were killed and 90 wounded.

Contrary to what the Sri Lankan military spokesperson said, a regional Rebel leader accused the Sri Lankan military of orchastrated civilian massacre in the rebel held area and in the surrondings.

Mr. C. Ilamparithy, Divisional Political Head of the LTTE of the Puthukudiyirupu, told TNS Wednesday that Sri Lanka Army (SLA) commando teams had entered the 'safety zone' in Udaiyaarkaddu and Chuthanthirapuram and had opened fire killing scores of civilians and causing injuries to many in their attempt to terrorize and forcibly move the civilians out of the area.

"Government of Sri Lanka is now engaged in a propaganda drive to divert the mounting pressure on Colombo by the International Community," accused Mr. Ilamparithy.

On Monday, the country’s military staged a human bomb blast in the Vishwamadu area of Mullaitivu district according civilian sources. According to the military a female Tamil Tiger rebel has blown herself up, killing 28 people and injuring dozens more in the north-east.

According to the Civilians who escaped the alleged scene of the blast, "the Sri Lankan military personals threw hand grenades at the Civilians who were fleeing and sprayed with live bullets in attempt to revenge the killing of their colleges who were killed in an over night ambush by the Tamil rebels in the area."

Shelling killed at least 16 patients being treated at a makeshift hospital in the northern Sri Lankan war zone, the Red Cross said Tuesday. "Hospitals were deliberately targeted by the military and scores of patients were killed in several occasions" according hospital sources in the area.

"Colombo is committing the worst crimes of humanity, by killing and maiming hundreds of civilians every day within the 'safety zone', and by indiscriminately bombing medical installations," Mr. C. Ilamparithy said. "By refusing food and medicine to thousands of people, the current regime is using food and medicine as weapons of war" he further added.

Government of Sri Lanka has accused the rebels of using civilians as a cover and demanded them to let go. Tamil Civilians who fled the rebel held area are kept in concentration camps in the government held area according to the aid agencies. "Tamil Civilians’ freedom of movement is restricted all over Sri Lanka, but those who fled the rebel area are kept as prisoners of war in the concentration camps," said an aid worker who doesn’t want to be identified.