TAMILNET reports that the entire safety zone area has gone up in smoke since the early hours of Friday with shelling by the Sri Lanka Army destroying all the structures within a narrow strip of coastal land which is densely populated with tens of thousands of people.
75% of the population remains under bunkers as close quarter fighting is taking place.
Hundreds of civilians are being killed and maimed in the carnage caused by the SLA, which is attempting to enter the remaining part of the so-called safety zone before the election results are published in India.
People are dying without water and food as gunfire by the SLA is coming in from all directions.
Nobody is there to take care of the wounded at the hospital as all the civil activities have come to a standstill.
No civil movement was reported as the SLA is using its maximum fire power on the densely populated safety-zone which has been under siege for months.
The LTTE Political Head meanwhile has welcomed President Obama’s words on the plight of the Tamils.
B Nadesan said: ‘Tamils in Eelam and around the globe welcome and thank the President of the United States of America Mr Barack Obama, for passionately talking about the plight of Tamil civilians and calling for urgent actions to alleviate the mounting humanitarian crisis.
‘The United Nations Organisation and the Security Council has held back from their traditional humanitarian leadership role to take prudent measures and bring about a truce and safeguard Eelam Tamils. Now, the Eelam Tamils earnestly look forward to President Barack Obama to lead the humanitarian intervention.
‘As President Barack Obama said, “Sri Lanka must seek a peace that is secure, but also lasting,” and we support a permanent ceasefire as well to work towards that peace. The arms we possess are the protective shield of the impending final solution of the peaceful political aspiration of Eelam Tamils.
‘Today the Sri Lankan government is collectively punishing the Tamils wherever they live in this island, for their quest for self determination and freedom. Eelam Tamils are perturbed at the eviction from their homeland and their detention in concentration camps (or the prospect of it) without any livelihood and dignity for the foreseeable future.
‘Invading the Tamil homeland, disregarding calls for restraint from firing into Tamil civilians in the “no fire zone” – who moved in there due to the Sri Lankan army onslaught on the Tamil homeland – detaining them in camps and enforced disappearances of Tamils all over this island are all taking place without independent witnesses.
‘As President Barack Obama said, “urgent action” is needed by the world humanitarian community to protect the Tamils. The Sri Lankan Government has been successful in blindfolding the international community to continue with the onslaught, under the guise of “war on terror” and even a “humanitarian rescue” operation that never took into account the “human costs”.
‘We thank and welcome the categorical calls by President Barack Obama for the Sri Lankan Government to take toward alleviating the humanitarian crisis. Presence and free access for independent humanitarian aid workers and media to all parts of this island, particularly in all areas of the Tamil Homeland, is urgently needed.
‘We thank President Barack Obama once again, for taking time to shed light on the plight of Eelam Tamils.
Yours sincerely,
B. Nadesan
Head of the Political Wing LTTE.’
The LTTE Peace Secretariat has also issued a statement.
It reads: ‘Catastrophic situation: Over 1700 killed and 3000 injured within 48-hours – ICRC Ships prevented from bringing relief.
‘The local aid workers in Vanni Region estimate that 1700 civilians have been killed and over 3000 injured in the last 48 hours due to the persistent use of heavy artillery and mortars by the Sri Lankan armed forces.
‘The catastrophic situation has been made worse by the acute shortage of food and medicine.
‘The ICRC ship carrying an emergency supply of food provided by the World Food Organization (WFO) has been prevented from delivering its consignments due to the refusal of the Sri Lankan Government to provide security guarantees, even though LTTE has given all clearance and guarantees.
‘And another ship working on medical evacuations was also prevented from reaching the shores for the same reason.
‘In the face of relentless bombardment, 1400 patients and their families are facing untold hardships and there was no one take care of these patients.
‘All doctors and medical staff have abandoned the hospital and gone into bunkers.
‘Local doctors who are trying to work in these hospitals have decided to hand the hospitals over to the ICRC in the hope that under ICRC management the hospitals may be spared from bombardment.
‘Despite international concerns and condemnation by international leaders, the Sri Lankan armed forces are continuing with its campaign of targeting the civilian population and destroying civilian infrastructure.
‘We call upon the international community to protect the civilians from this ongoing carnage by taking whatever measure required.
‘The LTTE is ready to engage with the International Community in its actions to bring an end to the humanitarian crisis.’
