14.05.2009

His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa,

President of Sri Lanka,

Temple Trees,

Colombo-03

Your Excellency,

CIVILIANS  OF  MULLIVAIKAL  SHOULD  BE  SAVED  AT  ANY COST.

Before coming to the subject, I once again reiterate that my love and devotion to my country is in no way second to any other person in Sri Lanka.  I had been repeatedly emphasizing on the fact that a patriot is one who loves his country and its people whether they are Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims or from any other ethnic group.  The country won the war at high price.  Apart from the financial implications, the destruction caused to the economy of the country, valuable lives lost and the unbearable human sufferings the people underwent, cannot be valued in terms of money.

People of two districts in full and from parts of three others, have lost everything.  Many led luxurious lives.  They had their own business, industry, mansions to live in and all what they wanted or needed and now all of them are paupers.  They are put to starvation.  They have to wait for long hours in queues to get a little “Kanchi” poured into their plates.  They are all living on liquid diet.  Postmortem held on many bodies of elders had revealed that death was due to starvation.  A class-less society is now being created for the Tamils to live all alike as paupers.

Life in Mullivaikal is miserable.  Even if a new Security Zone is created no one can prevent the LTTE from entering that area and mixing up with the civilians.  It is my duty to bring to your notice whatever news I get and believe as true.  On the 12^th inst. due to shelling more than 36 patients died at the Mullivaikal Hospital with several others injured.  Again on the 13^th about fifty patients, waiting for treatment with very many others for two days without being attended on them due to shortage of staff, were killed and many more injured.  In addition to this agony they are also subjected to starvation.  This situation should stop forthwith.  There is one-thing that you can do, to give some relief immediately to the people.  Please arrange to send food-ships with sufficient food, based on the figures given by the officials and save the country from being accused of starving the people.  For a Government that had been sending food to Vanni based on the figures prepared under the influence of the LTTE, for quarter of a centaury, supplying food for the remaining one hundred and fifty thousand people will not make the Government to go Bankrupt.  It is only for some more time and may be a few days or a few months, that you are going to do it.  People there have lost their strength even to walk.  Children are starving without milk.  You know what happened to the food that the Government sent to Vanni in the past.  Ignoring that matter, please send ample food so that atleast the left-overs will be sufficient to fill the stomachs of the people there.  This should continue till the war ends.

All the good name earned by the Security Forces and also by the Government should not be allowed to go with the wind.  Enough lives had been lost during the last two to three weeks.  Who is responsible for these deaths is not the question.  “Why did these people die?”, is a question that will be repeatedly asked by the future generation.  Please give strict instructions to the parties concerned that not a single life should be lost in the process of liberation.  This request is made to you based on the undertaking you gave the country that no life should be taken by firearms.

I wish you all the best and assure you my unstinting support for all good actions taken by you and also urge you to send enough food by any means to Mullivaikal and also order to stop all shellings and save the innocent men, women, elders and children.

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

V. Anandasangaree,

President – TULF.