UN effort to get safe passage for Sri Lankan children
Central government denies humanitarian crisis despite reports of malnutrition
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Ethnic Tamil children clamour to receive food at a camp in Putumattalan. The government has denied claims people are suffering from malnutrition
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A senior UN official has met leaders of the Sri Lankan government amid reports that food supplies for civilians trapped in the northern war zone are running short and that up to 4,500 people may have been killed in the past three months.
As photographs emerged from the so-called "no-fire zone" that show scenes of utter misery and hardship, a government health official in the region claimed that at least five children were dying every day from diarrhoea and malnutrition and that many mothers were too emaciated to nurse their babies. The government in Colombo has denied claims that people trapped there are suffering from malnutrition.
Vijay Nambiar, chief of staff of the UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, met Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday, to discuss what many in the aid community say is an increasingly perilous situation for up to 150,000 trapped in the war zone.
"There are many severely emaciated people around the area," said the government health official in the war zone. He said that hundreds of nursing mothers whose breast milk has dried up because of malnutrition had in recent days come to a makeshift hospital to beg for baby formula. Because supplies were so low, he said, they were turned away.
A message sent by medical officials last night to The Independent read: "Many children have problems getting adequate and nutritional food. Severely malnourished children are coming to the hospital with various diseases."
The government strongly denied the allegations of malnutrition last night. S B Divaratne, the commissioner general of essential services, said: "This is completely untrue. Whoever is saying that the people in the no-fire zone are suffering malnutrition ... it's a complete fabrication. In March we sent 2,500 metric tonnes of vegetables and milk formula and this month we sent 1,300 tonnes of essential supplies of rice, dahl and oil. Another shipment was loaded today."
The government has also said that reports being sent by government health officials in the war zone – off limits to journalists and most aid workers – cannot be trusted as the area remains controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). It has said the officials are being forced to make such statements, though the officials have denied this.
The plight of up to 150,000 civilians has become of increasing concern as the government seeks finally to crush the separatist LTTE guerrilla army and end a civil war that has raged for decades and which has cost the lives of a minimum of 70,000 people. A two-day ceasefire by the government came to an end on Wednesday as firing by both sides recommenced in an area that was supposedly designated a no-fire zone.
In what might be considered a criticism of the government's decision to resume its offensive, India yesterday called for a new ceasefire to let civilians escape the "evolving human tragedy". "Continuation of precipitate military actions leading to further civilian casualties at this time would be totally unacceptable," said the country's External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee.
Mr Mukherjee also became the latest to add his voice to those demanding that the LTTE allow the civilians to leave. International rights groups have accused the rebels of using the civilians as human shields. A number of civilians who have fled the region have said they were shot at by LTTE fighters. But, in an implicit admission that their military operation was drawing to a close, the LTTE promised in a statement on a pro-Tamil website that it would continue its fight by "political means" if the international community brokered a ceasefire.
Amnesty International has called for immediate shipments of aid to the region and also asked both the government and the rebels to declare a new truce. The UN refugee agency said in a statement that the living conditions of the displaced people has worsened with heavy rain and winds, and that most families are living under trees or damaged tarpaulin tents.
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Comments
sites.google.com/site/helpsavetamils
only gullible fools would believe what the Sinhala State (Sri Lanka Govt) says.
-isn't it funny, the international media admits that it cannot report the truth, and at the same time becomes a mouthpiece of the Terror State. It's disgusting. it's a shame!
Genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka
*More than 100,000 Tamil men, women and children Killed or Disappeared
*Nearly 1 Million Tamils made to flee the country
*More than 600,000 Tamil Internal Refugees (Internally Displaced or Evicted)
*More than 20,000 Tamil orphaned children
*More than 35,000 Tamil widows
*Thousands of families (including infants) in barbed wire fenced concentration camps operated by Sri Lankan Military.
*Half a million Tamils kept in an open prison in Northern Sri Lanka
*Thousands in custody - detention without trial, other widespread abuses
*Economic embargo imposed on traditional Tamil areas for more than 2 decades
*Supply of food, medicine, fuel, electricity and other essential items controlled by the Military
*Forced Starvation
*Mass Graves and systematic violations of fundamental human rights remain un-investigated
*No International Media allowed into conflict areas
*Systematic destruction of Infrastructure
*Indiscriminate and wanton air attacks on traditional Tamil areas for more than 2 decades.
*Hundreds of thousands of livelihoods and schools, hospitals, libraries, temples, churches, houses, villages destroyed
see website > sites.google.com/site/helpsavetamils
I am appalled to see that even after Human Rights Watch reported the slaughter of over 2000 civilians and even after Medicins Sans Frontieres pointed out that the situation was unacceptable, the UN Security Council has turned a blind eye to this humanitarian catastrophe.
LTTE propagandists cant even lie wothout getting caught these days.
What you should know is simple people in vanni or any tamil will like to die with dignity, not in the hands of Sinhala Govt Terrorists.
they dont care whether they die of malnutrition or starvation, but what they all care is not to get to the hands of the SLA.
As soon as you get hold of the hands of the SLA you are inprisonned for life and you will have to die in the hands of SLA by way of torture. Even in the so-called capital COLOMBO people gets disappear in White vans, what is the gurantee that the people will be safe in the concentration camps??? Ladies are being aborted ?? WHY ??
WHY No International media / UN / NGO's are let inside the camps, therefore something is happening THE GUILTY GOVERNEMNT HAS TO BE TAKEN TO INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT.
All nations would be well advised to place an embargo on all Indian nationals. The sub-continent is a disaster zone and is effectively a failed state. India has a higher population density than China, and its population probably already exceeds China's by several million.
What most people fail to understand is that the Indian population has increased by over 360% since 1947. That figure is not an exaggeration. India's population at Independence was just 350-million!!
The world would benefit from placing India in quarantine. That way, one of the most corrupt political systems will be forced to face the consequences of its own greed, stupidity, dishonesty, and moral sickness.
My sympathies lie with the Sinhalese. The Tamils already have a state: it is Tamil Nadu on mainland India.
For the past 2 decades, the Tigers have been fed by the government which it has been fighting, and their wounded cadres treated at government run hospitals in their territory.
THIS IS SHAME ON US HOW WE TREAT TAMILS.THER IS NO LTTE .
SINCE 1948 . 1958,1972 1983,1999,2005 WHAT WE DONTE TO TAMILS REM THAT?
DONT TELL LIE TO WORLD ANY MORE.ALL WORLD KNOW NOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN SRILANK. OUR GOOD NAME GONE!
WE ARE SOME TIME MAD, IT IS TRUE.
WHY WE NEVER THINK ABOUT FUTURE.
IF DOG HEAD WENT IN TO THE POT WE CUT DOG NECK, THEN BRICK POT AS WEL.
THAT THE WAY WE ARE.WHY WE DONT SORT THIS OUT BEFORE?WE PLAY BIG PART TO GET SUPORT TO TAMILS DO YOU KNOW HOW ? ALL INTERNATINOL WORLD NOW SUPPORT TAMILS. BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE DOING BAN ALL MEDIA ,BAND INTNATINOL COMUNITIES,BAN FORIN AID WORKERS,BAND N G O'S, THIS IS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET NEWS AND INFOMATION.THIS TOO LATE NOW..
MADHRANAYAKKA.KANDY
"Clare Short, the former International Development Secretary, appeared as a defence witness and told the court that the Government gave millions of pounds in humanitarian aid to areas of Sri Lanka controlled by the Tamil Tigers during a four-year ceasefire that ended in 2007. "
This is how Britain's naivete and criminal stupidity has prolonged Tiger terrorism. Sri Lankans are paying with lives and blood, while people like Clare Short are living off lives in the comfort of the West.
The British government should be held accountable to its moral obligations and its taxpayers.
The International Community believes that once LTTE is annihilated, Tamil problem will be solved. If LTTE is destroyed, who is there to stand up for Tamils' rights?
If International community carried on with this calculated silence the whole Tamil race will be annihilated.
Please stop this carnage and HELP us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW2sI6qb
THIS IS SHAME ON US HOW WE TREAT TAMILS.THER IS NO LTTE .
SINCE 1948 . 1958,1972 1983,1999,2005 WHAT WE DONTE TO TAMILS REM THAT?
DONT TELL LIE TO WORLD ANY MORE.ALL WORLD KNOW NOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN SRILANK. OUR GOOD NAME GONE!
WE ARE SOME TIME MAD, IT IS TRUE.
WHY WE NEVER THINK ABOUT FUTURE.
IF DOG HEAD WENT IN TO THE POT WE CUT DOG NECK, THEN BRICK POT AS WEL.
THAT THE WAY WE ARE.WHY WE DONT SORT THIS OUT BEFORE?WE PLAY BIG PART TO GET SUPORT TO TAMILS DO YOU KNOW HOW ? ALL INTERNATINOL WORLD NOW SUPPORT TAMILS. BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE DOING BAN ALL MEDIA ,BAND INTNATINOL COMUNITIES,BAN FORIN AID WORKERS,BAND N G O'S, THIS IS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET NEWS AND INFOMATION.THIS TOO LATE NOW..
MADHRANAYAKKA.KANDY
THIS IS SHAME ON US HOW WE TREAT TAMILS.THER IS NO LTTE .
SINCE 1948 . 1958,1972 1983,1999,2005 WHAT WE DONTE TO TAMILS REM THAT?
DONT TELL LIE TO WORLD ANY MORE.ALL WORLD KNOW NOW WHAT WAS GOING ON IN SRILANK. OUR GOOD NAME GONE!
WE ARE SOME TIME MAD, IT IS TRUE.
WHY WE NEVER THINK ABOUT FUTURE.
IF DOG HEAD WENT IN TO THE POT WE CUT DOG NECK, THEN BRICK POT AS WEL.
THAT THE WAY WE ARE.WHY WE DONT SORT THIS OUT BEFORE?WE PLAY BIG PART TO GET SUPORT TO TAMILS DO YOU KNOW HOW ? ALL INTERNATINOL WORLD NOW SUPPORT TAMILS. BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE DOING BAN ALL MEDIA ,BAND INTNATINOL COMUNITIES,BAN FORIN AID WORKERS,BAND N G O'S, THIS IS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET NEWS AND INFOMATION.THIS TOO LATE NOW..
MADHRANAYAKKA.KANDY
The Sri Lankan government is accused of starving, bombing, shelling and restricting the movements of Tamil civilians and banned journalists from reporting on the plight of them. LTTE is accused of holding them as human shields. Who is there to verify these claims? Independent aid workers and monitors must be allowed in to the 'safe zone' and internment camps to find out what the civilians really want and let the international community ensure their human rights are respected. Let them live where they want and the UN must fulfill its obligation to the suffering civilians.
current President is a mere puppet to show the world that a
democratically elected president is in place.
The presidental sibiling and the defence secretary is Gotabaya
Rajapaksa, a former military major and a US citizen, is the real power
centre in Sri Lanka. The current Army chief Sarath Fonseka is a close
friend of Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Both served together in the Army and
both are running the country. They were responsible for killings,
abduction of Members of Parliaments, Journalists and Civilians.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the army and went to US, in protest of the
then government decision to stop the war following the Indian
Intervention in 1987.
Now it should not be a surprise to any why the war won't be stopped
despite the plea by so many nations. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is running a
terror regime of his own and won't tolerate criticism of his handling
of the war. The late editor Lasantha Wicramathunga of the popular
Sunday Leader news paper wrote his infamous 'letter from grave' to the
President had this to say ... For truth be told, we both know who will
be behind my death, but dare not call his name. Not just my life but
yours too depends on it.
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfre
In fact the poor president Mahinda Rajapaksa was a former human right
activist who is just in front of gunpoint hold by these two military
men and saying 'yes' to whatever these people decide.
If we understand this scenario only one can progress in the
task and save the Tamils from annihilation.
Just do a simple calculation and ask people out of 120000 Tamils, who died in this systematic GENOCIDE, HOW many of them were Sinhalese?????
Why don't you understand this simple fact and start acting neutrally!!!
120,000 died??- there are no 120,000 people in the whole of eastern area!! OUt of the 1.8 million Tamils in SL over 1.2 million live in the South West and South East!! Only about 400,000 live in Jaffna and east! get your facts man!!
Read the definition of Genocide- it's deliberate targeting of civilians for the sake of elimination a race. Civilian deaths during a military operation against terrorists, who use guerrilla tactics , is inevitable and is considered ' collateral damage' - a nice american phrase. It happened in Iraq, and recently in Gaza during Israeli attacks against the Hamas. All nations understand this. There is no evidence that SL government is deliberately attacking the Tamil Civilians. In fact the Tamils in Jaffna celebrated when Kilinochichi was liberated- I am sure you have seen the pictures.. Don't forget. The SL government could not have such quick progress against the LTTE without a lot of support from the Tamil organizations, TMVP, EPDP. TNA and Tamil civilians within and outside of the North- East.
http://www.hrweb.org/legal/genocide.htm
Can everyone wake up and save those remaining human beings in Vanni (Tamils) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE??? You guys don't want to create another Rwanda, Somalia or Bosnia.
Thanks for the editors to bringing this to the world.
Pathetic UN!!!
You did not comment on the last para about lot of Tamil organizations helping the SL government . Why ??
But the diplomacy is, when a foreign journalist or a member of an organisation such as UN or Human Rights arrives, the Sri Lankan forces pretend that they treat the Tamils in a kind, helpful way. When I lived in a refugee camp back in Sri Lanka after the army took control over our area, once a reporter arrived and the army threatened us that we have to tell the reporter what the army tells us to say. Also the army taught us what to say. We too lied to the reporter as we were in extreme fear that the army will kill us if we didn?t. Because after the reporters leave, the refugees continue to live under the control of the army.
The actual situation is that Tamils are being tortured brutally, children, women & young males are subject to rape & brutal sexual abuse by the Sri Lankan forces. On suspicion & otherwise youngsters are being murdered on daily basis by the Srilankan forces.
Also there is no medial facilities or medical treatment available for the injured people. There is no medicine, no hygiene, no sanitation, no water, no food and no shelter for the people suffering from the attacks by the Sri Lankan forces. Children & pregnant mothers are dying in numbers every day due to lack of medicine & medical treatment poor sanitation & hygiene, and malnutrition. The Sri Lankan government is staging ?state terrorism? in the war zone.
War Crimes are at its peak in Sri Lanka. The Tamils are subject to genocide. Under the guise of War against Terrorism, Sri Lankan government is undertaking an ethnic cleansing of Tamils. Every day hundreds of innocent people including children and pregnant mothers are being killed brutally (visit tamilnet.com for photographic & vedio evidence). The Srilankan government is using Chemical weapons, Themobaric Shells, Multi Barrel Shells and Cluster Bombs and many other weapons the usage which are banned by almost all the civilised countries (visit tamilnet.com for photographic & vedio evidence).
Hospitals, Refugee Camps, Schools, Churches & Temples where innocent people gather are being attacked on regular basis.
The Sri Lankan government has removed the international & neutral media, news reporters, journalists, the human rights orginisations, NGOs, monitoring missions, the UN & its staff and many other such organisations & personnel from the war zone long time back. If Sinharaja, a Sinhalese reporter could go to the war zone and send a report to 'Independent', why can't the Sri Lankan government let other international & neutral media & reporters and the UN, human rights & similar organisations enter the war zone?
If it's security reason, then it's upto the Journalist who are willing go ther eas far as am aware of.
Please do not let the demented LTTE leadership and gullible (or arrogant) diaspora think that it is their right to break the laws of their host country to collect money, demonstrate their support for a proscribed organisation and then seek sympathy.
The LTTE should live by normal conventions used in war, and respect the civilian population and its rights.. of course these aren't things they have practiced in their 'Dream eelam or Dreamland'.. so why should we expect them to treat these poor souls which any respect now...
Let the temils free and they will be better Sri Lankans after this episode when they openly express that the so called Sinhalese Army is taking better care of than their 'own boys' --- remember ?
adios and bigo sri lanka
The LTTE is not preventing the UN staff or aid agencies from visiting the so called Safe Zone. Why is the government denying all the allegations of malnutrition? Without carrying out a war without witnesses, why can?t the government allow aid groups into the concentration camps and so called not so Safe Zone?
MAYBE THE GOVERNMENT GOT SOMETHING TO HIDE!