OFFICIALS of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Vanni told TamilNet on Saturday that their defensive formations at Mallaavi had thwarted on Friday a three-pronged Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensive.
This was launched from Vavunikku’lam and Paalaiyadi targeting Mallaavi.
At least 30 SLA soldiers were killed and more than 60 troopers sustained injuries in intense fighting, according to the Tigers.
Three dead bodies of SLA soldiers were also recovered by the Tigers.
An SLA vehicle, one AK-LMG with rounds, one RPG launcher with shells, a mortar, and eleven T-56 assault rifles were seized by the Tigers.
PK-LMG rounds, hand grenades, bullet proof jackets, and kitbags were also recovered in the clearing mission after the clash, the Tigers said.
The SLA has admitted that 11 SLA soldiers were killed in the fighting and that 20 were wounded in the clashes that took place on Friday.
The SLA attempted to break the LTTE defence line with the support of helicopter gunships and intense artillery and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire while engaging the ground forces on three fronts.
The fighting broke out at 5.30 am and lasted till 7.00 pm when the SLA was pushed back.
The Sri Lankan soldiers have left behind arms and ammunitions, the Tigers said.
LTTE officials did not provide details on their casualties.
Mallaavi is the fourth largest town in LTTE controlled Vanni.
Meanwhile the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR), a New Delhi-based human rights watchdog has published a rights report covering the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), released last Friday.
It said that ‘Sri Lanka ranks as South Asia’s No.1 human rights violator’.
It added: ‘Sri Lanka’s human rights indicators must be considered within a context of very high levels of impunity which tend to suggest a worsening over the human rights picture over the long term.’
The ACHR’s determination of the ranking of south Asian states ‘is based on a comparative assessment of records of the governments in 2007 on nine thematic issues crucial for enjoyment of human rights.
These thematic issues are political freedom, the right to life, the judiciary and administration of justice, status or effectiveness of National Human Rights Institutions, press freedom, violence against women, violations of the rights of the child, violations of the rights of the minorities and indigenous/tribal peoples and repression on human rights defenders,’ the report said.
In ACHR’s analysis, ‘Sri Lanka scored the highest negative points for the right to life, the rights of the child, attacks on human rights defenders and violations of the rights of the minorities.’
On press freedom, Sri Lanka ranked as the No.2 violator only after Bhutan – which has no independent press – because of the systematic attacks on the freedom of expression and journalists, the report said.
‘Discrimination lies at the heart of the problem and the introduction of restrictions on Tamils travelling to Colombo are a powerful symbol of government intent.
‘The political ramifications of the exclusion – not least in terms of prospects for a peaceful settlement of the conflict – of an entire ethnic group from the nation’s capital, are of deep concern,’ the report added.
Documenting that ‘540 persons disappeared across Sri Lanka from January to August 2007,’ the report pointed out that, ‘Tamils again suffered disproportionately from disappearances.’
Criticising the judiciary and the endemic lawlessness, the report said, ‘The rule of law had weakened since the appointment of Justice Sarath Nanda Silva, former Attorney General and Legal Advisor of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga as the Chief Justice.
‘Justice Silva has a long legacy of political, rather than legal, judgements and has regularly interfered with political processes in Sri Lanka.’
Commenting generally on the worst rights violators that included, in the order of decreasing rank, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal, and India, the report said, ‘Discrimination is endemic, institutionalised and in many cases legalised.
‘Human rights violations are integral to counter-insurgency operations conducted by the military in the sub-region.
‘Human rights are routinely violated in police detention including the routine use of torture.
‘National security laws tend to be poorly framed, routinely abused and used as blanket cover to silence legitimate dissent rather than tackle security.
‘These are not the assertions of one organisation but repeatedly confirmed by national and regional and international NGOs and the various UN bodies established to monitor human rights.’
Asian Centre for Human Rights is dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Asian region, according ACHR’s website.
