02.05.2009

His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa,

President of Sri Lanka,

Temple Trees,

Colombo-03

Your Excellency,

CRY  OF  SOS  FROM  IDPs  IN  VANNI

Further to my letter dated 01.05.2009 under the caption “Save the remaining IDPs in Vanni” your decision to instruct the forces to avoid using heavy weapons and to see that no civilian should be allowed to be killed by fire-arms, is applaudable.  The forces of Sri Lanka are a well disciplined lot now.  As combatants they are not to question why but to do and die.  But they have a subsidiary role also to play and that is to offer humanitarian assistance to the injured and the feeble.  It goes to the credit of a soldier, who traced a 5 years old child of an IDP and handed it over to the mother with all the jewellery the child was wearing.  The service personnel has won the hearts of the people more during the mass-exodus.  Those of the fair sex had tended the children, the sick and the old with extreme care and affection.  There are several incidents that deserve commendation.

I hope you will agree with me that the LTTE is not that disciplined like the Government forces and cannot be expected to adhere to the norms of the war.  The so called fire-free zone is under the control of the LTTE and they get mixed up with the civilians making it impossible for the forces to separate the LTTE and attack them, without harming the civilians.  In the present situation any attempt to attack the LTTE will result in a large number of civilians falling victims.  During the five day period from 27.04.2009 to 4 pm on 01.05.2009 a total of 170 had lost their lives and 951 including 181 children got injured.  I have the figures for each day and this is in respect of people who sought admission to the hospital and do not include those killed before admission to the hospital.  Bodies of such people are covered with towels and buried.

Your Excellency, it is not the question as to who is responsible for these killings. As desired by you, no one should die of fire arms.  The forces that earned a name for their operation with minimum casualties should not be allowed to bring discredit for themselves.  The only option you now have, if you want to bring out the civilians safely, is to get the UN to move into Vanni to persuade the LTTE to release the people and in return offer a general amnesty to whoever surrenders to the forces with the weapons.  I have a duty to bring to your notice the grievances of the people and it is now your duty to save all those stranded without losing even one.

PS:-   At the time of writing this letter today at 12 noon I received reliable information that the hospital at Mullivaikal was attacked with 7 shells between 09 and 10.30 AM killing 64 persons and injuring 87 including three from the staff.  Please call for a cease-fire immediately and workout modalities to release these innocent civilians who are going through this peril merely because they are citizens of Sri Lanka.    During this Wesak week these incidents will give a bad reflection of the country to the International Community. 

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

V. Anandasangaree,

President – TULF.