Widespread condemnation of LTTE suicide attack on Tamil civilians
fleeing terror
There is widespread condemnation of the suicide bomb
attack carried out by the LTTE at a centre for Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) North of Visuamadu in Mullaittivu this morning (Feb 9),
in which 29 persons were killed and 64 wounded.
The Sri Lanka Government, the United Nations and the
United States of America were quick to condemn this attack on Tamil
civilians by the LTTE.
Those killed included eight civilians and 19 troops,
while the injured numbered 40 civilians and 24 troops. All civilian
victims were those who had fled the LTTE held areas for safety outside,
and the troops killed and injured were those engaged in medical
attention, relief assistance and the registering of civilian IDPs who
had come to camp set up by the Security Forces.
President condemns attack
Mr. Basil Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament and Senior
Presidential Advisor said President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Government
of Sri Lanka strongly condemned this suicide bomb attack by the LTTE,
which was carried out against Internally Displace Persons who have fled
from areas of Mullaitivu while taking refuge in one of the centers. This
brutal attack has claimed the lives of civilians, as well as causing
serious damage to infrastructure and also injuries to civilian
bystanders.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa extends his heartfelt
condolences together with that of Government of Sri Lanka to the
bereaved families who lost their loved ones in this terrorist outrage
and also his sincere wishes for the speedy recovery of those who
sustained injuries, Mr. Basil Rajapaksa said.
A spokesman for the Presidential Secretariat condemned
this as a cowardly attack that showed the LTTE's determination to
frighten Tamil civilians from fleeing the areas where they continued to
be forcibly held to safeguard the LTTE leadership and their dwindling
cadres, in a steadily shrinking area of control. This would show the
world the contempt of the LTTE to the many calls for a humanitarian
approach to the plight of civilians held in held their midst, the
spokesman said.
The United States said the attack was an attempt by
the LTTE to discourage Tamil civilians from leaving the conflict area,
and called on the LTTE to allow all civilians freedom of movement.
The United Nations has also condemned today's suicide
attack which killed and wounded many civilians including, including
children. It called on the LTTE to separate its forces from civilians
under its control.
Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa pointed out that
the Government will never succumb to the fascist designs of the LTTE,
and is now more resolved and committed as never before to eliminate
terrorism from every part of Sri Lanka. The people of Sri Lanka stands
firmly behind the security forces in their endeavors to eradicate
terrorism for good in this nation, he said.
The International community has now realized the true
nature of the LTTE, which has once again proved its absolute contempt
and disrespect for democracy, pluralism and civilized values of
humanity. This is clearly an attack against humanity, he emphasized. It
is hoped that the international community would take into account the
mind set of the LTTE and act with responsibility and support the efforts
of the Government, with a firm resolve, to bring to a close the ethnic
crisis that has gone on for decades, Mr. Rajapaksa added.
United States
The statement from the US Embassy in Colombo said:
"The United States condemns today's the suicide attack on a government
center that was registering internally displaced persons who had managed
to exit the conflict area in northern Sri Lanka. This apparent effort by
the LTTE to discourage Tamils from leaving the conflict area killed and
wounded many Tamil civilians.
The United States calls on the LTTE to allow all
civilians freedom of movement. The United States also urges the
Government of Sri Lanka to ensure that all IDPs who leave the conflict
area are registered and transferred in a transparent manner to temporary
camps in accordance with international standards.
United Nations
The statement from the UN Resident Humanitarian
Coordinator said: "The United Nations in Sri Lanka condemns today's
suicide attack on a registration centre for displaced persons fleeing
the conflict zone. The attack killed and wounded many civilians,
including children. Those killed had already been forced from their
homes by fighting and had endured terrible hardships.
The UN reiterates that civilians must be distinguished
from combatants, and protected from the fighting. It calls once again on
the LTTE to separate its forces from civilians under its control."
According to defence observers, LTTE terrorists had
perpetrated the attack targeting the civilians in reprisal, for defying
LTTE's orders to take-up arms Security forces immediately cordoned off
the area, while medical units were rushed to the site, the sources said.
Women and children were among the many reported killed and injured in
the suicide bomb blast, security sources said. Ambulances carried the
wounded to the Kilinochchi hospital.
The female suicide bomber had arrived among the
civilians who were seeking protection with security forces. The bomber
had blown herself up before being screened, the reports further said.
Child bomber
Earlier, on February 4, LTTE terrorists used a 13 year
old child suicide bomber against the advancing 55 Division troops in
Chalai on 4th Feb. Observers of LTTE activity have expressed concerns
over the likelihood of the LTTE increasing such attacks targeting
civilians to carry out large scale carnage to instilling fear among the
people who are entrapped in the non-liberated regions in Mullaitivu.
According to them, the LTTE in the face of an
inevitable defeat is trying to fear among the innocent civilians,
trapped in their midst. On Sunday(8), a group of civilians escaping from
the LTTE hellholes North of Visuamadu and Sugandirapuram have ramped an
LTTE barricade assaulting a LTTE 'police' cadre and killing two female
terrorists for their escape.
Similarly, civilians who were forcibly armed and sent
to the battle front by LTTE have taken on the fewer LTTE cadres, beating
the terrorists and tying them up, on 7th February. The civilians had
later managed to flee towards the security forces controlled area, the
sources further said.
LTTE is a ruthless terrorist outfit that has been
fighting for a mono ethnic separate homeland for the Tamils in Sri Lanka
since 1983. During its 3 decades of existence the outfit has pioneered a
large number of terror tactics particularly in the field of suicide
bombing, that have been soon copied by the other terror organizations in
the world.
Fuelled by extremist tribal ideologies held by their
megalomaniac leader, V. Prabhakaran, and largely foreign funds generated
through its false propaganda, LTTE terrorists have killed tens and
thousands of innocent civilians in many village massacres, bus bombings,
train bombings, ethnic cleansing raids, and etc. The outfit is also
included in the UN list of shame for using children for terror attacks.
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