Over 200 civilians killed in Lanka military attack: Nordic monitors

Colombo, Sep 28: Nordic truce monitors, overseeing the fragile ceasefire between the Sri Lankan Government and the Tamil Tiger rebels over the past four years, today slammed both the parties of engaging in "military confrontations" and said "over 200 civilians had been killed" during the past two months as a result.

Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), retired Major General of the Norwegian Army, Lars Johan Solvberg made these revelations in a five-page ruling on the "offensive military operations" by both the goverment security forces and the LTTE between July 22 and September 25 in the north-east region.

"Throughout the period, both parties have responded to the other party's action in ways that are not conducive with the CFA. As a result of these actions over 200 civilians have been killed and several thousands are internally displaced creating a serious humanitarian crisis in the eastern and northern part of Sri Lanka," Maj Gen Solvberg said in his ruling.

Copies of his ruling on the offensive military operations had been sent to the heads of the government and the LTTE Peace Secretariats.

The SLMM chief said that while conducting their operations both the parties "have restricted the access to the affected areas for international aid agencies to provide emergency assistance to civilians in need" and also prevented SLMM from "conducting inquiries".

"In addition, movement through established entry/exit points have been severely restricted by both parties, limiting the freedom of movement for both the civilians, the SLMM and the INGOs as well as restricting the flow of goods in and out of LTTE-controlled areas," the SLMM ruling said.

It said the lack of food, fuel and medical supplies together with the unavailability of money due to government's restrictions on cash withdrawals, had stopped most economic and productive activities in the LTTE controlled Wanni.

Underlining the fact that the gravity of the violations committed have led to a "dangerous escalation of hostilities" in the restive north-east region, the SLMM head reiterated the call by the international community to both the parties to adhere to the truce pact to its very word and spirit.

"It is important that the parties realise the seriousness of the current situation and do whatever there is in their power to move forward, instead of engaging in military confrontation," Maj Gen Solvberg appealed.

UNI