A mass slaughter of civilians will take place...And everyone knows it
Day of Reckoning in Sri Lanka
By Robert Templer
The Sri Lankan government has issued a deadline of noon tomorrow for the Tamil Tigers to surrender. With the embattled rebels unlikely to put down their guns before then, only forceful and immediate international action to halt the fighting can prevent the possible deaths of tens of thousands of civilians trapped between the warring parties.
More than 100,000 men, women and children are trapped in a space roughly the size of Central Park, caught up in a war between the Sri Lankan government and the remaining forces of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), or Tamil Tigers. Cornered in a shrinking patch of coast in the Northeast of Sri Lanka, with little access to food, water or medicine the past three months, the civilians have remained out of the sight of most of the world. U.N. and humanitarian workers were forced by the government to leave LTTE areas last September; journalists have also been banned from witnessing the unfolding horror.
The area the Sri Lankan government calls the "no fire zone" -- a sea of people, tents, and makeshift shelters on a sliver of jungle and beach -- is being shelled by the military. The Tamil Tigers are using the refugees there as human shields, preventing them from leaving. Available reports suggest 5,000 civilians, including at least 500 children, have died since mid-January, and more than 10,000 have been injured. And even though tens of thousands of civilians escaped the so-called "no fire zone" last night, as the Sri Lankan military advanced, many more remain in grave danger. If the Sri Lankan government's noon deadline passes, the long feared final assault could begin, with innocent civilians suffering disastrous consequences.
After a 25-year fight against a brutal LTTE insurgency, the government's desire to "finish the job" is understandable. But as the onslaught continues to imperil civilians, an already humiliated Tamil diaspora is growing more volatile, angry, and mobilized -- a potentially explosive combination.
There are disturbing signs that a new generation of young Tamils in the United States, Canada, Britain, Europe, and India are being radicalized. That process has the potential to produce new forms of terrorism and violence. While the Tigers' targets have so far been contained to Sri Lanka, they might soon find new venues. If the Tiger's leadership is removed or killed in a government assault, it's easy to imagine one of the newly energized generation stepping in to fill the void. The dream of an independent Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka resonates powerfully across the diaspora and will certainly live on even after the defeat of the LTTE as a conventional military force. The deaths of tens of thousands of innocent Tamil civilians -- while their family members watch from afar -- is a recipe for another, possibly more explosive, generation of terrorism.
Much of the international community knows what is happening and what is at stake. Nongovernmental organizations, including the International Crisis Group, have been sounding the alarm bells since last fall. Since then, more and more hard proof of unacceptable civilian suffering and war crimes have emerged, including the satellite images of the crowded tent camps seen here, video of dead children, and interviews with exhausted ICRC doctors. Nonetheless, the U.N. and influential governments have been slow to act and have allowed a bad situation to grow much worse.
Similar paralysis and foot dragging by multinational institutions and powerful countries produced Rwanda and Srebrenica. Barack Obama's administration has said it is committed to the principals of international law and humanitarian protection. Sri Lanka is the perfect opportunity for the new U.S. president to show that this is not empty rhetoric.
With both government forces and Tamil Tigers abdicating their responsibility to protect civilians from mass atrocities, urgent, determined, and united international action is necessary to ensure the safety of the innocent -- by the United Nations Security Council, other multilateral organizations, and individual countries that have relations with Sri Lanka, including India and Japan.
The French, British, and U.S. governments released important statements last week calling for a new pause in the fighting. They urged all sides to facilitate humanitarian access and free movement for at-risk civilians. This was a good start, but not nearly enough. Strong and timely messages must continue, and the consequences of a bloody end to this crisis must be made crystal clear. Both Tamil Tiger and government leaders should be told that they are liable to be held personally accountable for breaches of international humanitarian law, and that they need to find a solution that avoids further bloodshed.
Until a more lasting solution can be found and the Tigers persuaded to put down their guns, international actors must demand that the Sri Lankan government halt its offensive. What's needed is a humanitarian pause of at least two weeks to give a chance for relief supplies to get in and civilians to get out. U.N. agencies and the ICRC must be allowed full access to all locations where either civilians or surrendered Tamil Tiger fighters might cross over into government controlled areas. Both civilians -- and fighters who agree to lay down their arms -- need stronger international guarantees of their safety. Only international supervision, unhindered by the government, can provide the necessary level of protection.
All means of influencing the Tamil Tigers must be explored. The Tamil diaspora has an important role in persuading the LTTE to allow the trapped civilians to leave the target area and ultimately, agree to lay down their arms. Simple and one-sided denunciations of government shelling and civilian deaths are not enough -- the Tigers, too, share the blame and must be held accountable.
But at this decisive moment, it is the Sri Lankan government that holds the lives of the trapped Tamil civilians in its hands. It is to the Sri Lankan government that international leaders must send their most immediate messages of restraint. How the war ends will be critical to Sri Lanka's future. Will it be in a bloody massacre whose memory will be used to incite decades more war and terrorism? Or will we see renewed efforts to find a negotiated end to the fighting, and with it, the possibility of building a new, more peaceful Sri Lanka for all its people? [courtesy: Foreign Policy]
Robert Templer is Asia program director at the International Crisis Group
23 Comments
The Judgement day.
The LO$$$T Humanity day.
There are disturbing signs that a new generation of young Tamils in the United States, Canada, Britain, Europe, and India are being radicalized. ....... The deaths of tens of thousands of innocent Tamil civilians -- while their family members watch from afar -- is a recipe for another, possibly more explosive, generation of terrorism.
THIS IS ABSOLUTLY A CORRECT ASSESSMENT. ( ONLY DIFFERENCE IS I WROTE THIS THREE MONTHS AGO )
I hope the Editor post this comments.
This analysis and criticism is misplaced, misdirected. The self-important groups like the ICC and HRW have become insrtuments of control over the former colonial states, a cheaper former of control than with an army, but control nevertheless. The problems created and left behind by the former colonial governments are still being corrected by the independent states. Sri Lanka is one such state. Negotiating with a terrorist group on its last legs making obscene demands with terror, is a no, no. The solution is not far away.
Too late for the civilians! In another ten years the Western world students can carry out research on Sri Lanka Genocide in 2008/2009 for their school assignments.
There is only one way out of this mess. VP could issue a brief statement promising something he hasn't said before. Obviously it has to be tangible enough to prove he genuinely wish to end hostilities permanently. Otherwise, the IC has nothing new to work with. He does not have to release hostages or give up weapons at this stage. The next move belongs to LTTE and its support groups to come up with something before 11am tomorrow.
Sri lanka army is doing eveything to protect the tamil civilians.That is why they come to the Government side very happily.We still how cruelly Us bombed in Iraq and AfganistanThousands of INNocent civilians were killed.Un sanctions in iraq killed TEns of thousands of nnocent civilians.SL Army doesn't act like this.Some innocent civilians may inthe rescue operations.BUT not tens of thousands like the author mentioned.On what basis he estimated tens of thousand people die.No basis.THESE people put arbitaraly put figures.THese people don't like the end of the war.THEy wiil lose an opportunity earn moneny.As SL forces captured the area it was found that no works were done by NGOS.But they collected millions of dollars claiming to help innocent tamils.But what they really done was having a good lifeby taking the advantage of innocent life.THEREfore world should help the SL government to finish the war an exercise the their democratic path.Persons like the author are not the friends of tamil but of the terrorists.They want to protecct terrorists and keep their living.THEY fail to mention anything about tamils in the east .Sri lankan forces saved them from ltte and they live a normal life.After th rescue these people can too lead a normal life.World shoud not DECeive by persons like this author and help sri lanka to protect it,s citizens fro m terrorists.
did you ask the UN to intervene when the racian SF storemed the hosatge taken by the chechen rebels, the masacre of atheletes in burlene by palastine rebels or the colombian rebels? then why do that now. do you have proof that gove of SL deliberately attacked civiians? what are u talking about?
Well said Mr.Robert Templer,
My comments are....
Who is responsible for All Tamils, Sinhalas, Muslims and Other civilians in Sri Lanka. It is SRI LANKA, how can they bomb & kill civilian peoples because they are standing or trapped with Tigers so they automatically become Tigers.
Who brook the peace Negotiated by Norway 2002-2007?
Sri Lanka, It is the duty of the Sri Lankan government to bring the Tigers to Peace negotiating Table and find a solution, gorilla fighters can fight for life and may not be able to remove them.
Can the Tigers put the weapons down?
Come on, if Pirabakan put the weapons down, the first Tamil who standing next to him will shoot him. What is the meaning of last 25 Years of fighting and DEAD of over 70 THOUSAND innocent Tamils?
My Sinhala friend asked me why don't you fight it like Ghandi?.
We tried in 1956 to 1982, when the government with open eye killed innocent Tamil in 1983 then only you and I heard of Mr.Vellupillai Prapakaran.
Either you like it or not the Government and Tamils started the war and we gone so far down the line that NO turning back. Only the people suffering are innocent poor civilians (Poor Tamils who could not get out of the country & Poor Sinhala armies who joint the force for Money).
Imagine you stay inside a dark bunker for days and days Eat inside (may be no Food), Go to Toilet in the same place, NO Medicine and may be the snakes also come inside (which my MUM told me - no Joke).
I can write for all day and we can talk for all day but suffers are innocent people. I believe with international presser is the only way we can stop the killing. I wonder what is the purpose of the United Nation, isn't is created as call world police.
Come on UN walk up and Stop the killing NOW.
Like what happened in 1983 and is consequences- Time will prove - whether such actions are good or bad for the country. Many of us have now joined together to fight the Sri lankan sinhalese state -non violently of course -and each of its citizen in a totaly different manner...... time will prove.
Why all the pressure on the Govt? Surely its the LTTE thats in the weaker bargaining possition here. What do they hope to achieve by prolonging the suffering of these civilians? The best possible outcome now would be to save their own lives and also those of the civilians. There is no need to sacrifice these people just to make a statement to the world. Tamils need to make up their minds as to what is more important to them. Tamil rights or Tamil glory. If it is Tamil rights it means doing whatever possible to save these people and ensuring that they return to their homes and lead normal lives asap. This can be achieved through a dignified surrender. No one gets hurt. Alternatively, they go for glory and ensure maximum casualties. Prabakarnan's choice would be the latter I guess because he is doomed anyway.
The choice for the SLG is to proceed with operations regardless of what the LTTE want, Or agree to a permanant ceasefire in defference to UK and Norway. A Permanant ceasefire they well know from previous experience is only until the LTTE rearm, retrain and re-recruit. It will then start all over again until the International Community steps in again. Sri Lanka in the meanwhile never stops bleeding.
If the west wants to avert such disasters in the future they need to first clamp down on terrorist fundraising in their own countries. If they had paid any attention to this in the past the LTTE would not have become the potent force it became. They couldnt care less that the money was going towards the destruction of a country and its people. Today its only militant Islamic fundraising that gets any attention from the authorities. They could also clamp down on the private arms export industry in their own countries. When senior govt ministers like Peter Mandelson hob nob with gunrunning, coup financing, billionair arms dealers like Eli Calil, how will this govt ever convince the world that they are a force for good?
The only interest British politicians seem to have in this whole sordid affair is about how to get those troublesome Tamils off the streets around Westminster.
The influx of hapless Tamil civilians into the Sri Lanka's government-controlled terrain has once again given the lie to the Tiger lobby's claim of genocide in the Vanni. If those hapless people had any fear of genocidal violence, would they ever seek protection from the military? LTTE used suicide bombers to prevent them moving into security forces area. Also, LTTE fired artillery at them killing their own people in desperation. Numerous video footages being telecasted daily in both state and private TV channels in Sri Lanka, ample testimony to this fact.
The influx of hapless Tamil civilians into the Sri Lanka's government-controlled terrain has once again given the lie to the Tiger lobby's claim of genocide in the Vanni. If those hapless people had any fear of genocidal violence, would they ever seek protection from the military? LTTE used suicide bombers to prevent them moving into security forces area. Also, LTTE fired artillery at them killing their own people in desperation. Numerous video footages being telecasted daily in both state and private TV channels in Sri Lanka, ample testimony to this fact.
The influx of hapless Tamil civilians into the Sri Lanka's government-controlled terrain has once again given the lie to the Tiger lobby's claim of genocide in the Vanni. If those hapless people had any fear of genocidal violence, would they ever seek protection from the military? LTTE used suicide bombers to prevent them moving into security forces area. Also, LTTE fired artillery at them killing their own people in desperation. Numerous video footages being telecasted daily in both state and private TV channels in Sri Lanka, ample testimony to this fact.
In any war situation most affected are innocent civilians.When super powers doing it nobody pay attention and nobody talk about human right violations. But a third world country doing it every superpowers criticise it and talking human rights. They even ask for make ceasfire and talk with terrorists. Because the superpowers want these third world countries conflicts going on forever.Then they can sell their outdated weapons to this countries.
Terrorism must wipe out at any cost.To the hell with superpowers.
It is appaling how the IC is unable to deal with a terrorist States, even the UN has no tools available to contain them, and Sri Lanka is not the first instance. So the easy approach is to target the defenders, LTTE & Tamils, Palestenians etc. Any legitimate State can persecute it's own citizens by any and all Terrorism and the UN/IC will only object in words!!! There is room for evolution, HUMANS....
The trapped Tamil civilians will not leave the Tiger area because they do not trust the government nor the the international community. The only person they trust is the LTTE leader Prabhakaran and we all know the reason. It is beyond anybody's ability to fix the present situation. I pray for the souls of my people.
The comments alleging Western colonial control are misplaced. Those same organsations have not shied away from attacking Western governments for what they have done in the last ten years eg Guantanamo Bay. Many Western countries host large Tamil populations who are reacting to what the GOSL is doing - Western governments therefore have a domestic as opposed to an overseas interest in these matters. I think too much time has passed since the British Empire to allocate blame to the colonial period. Lankans and Lankans alone are to blame for the situation they find themselves in which has in roots in the 1950s and not earlier. As to Lankan bleating about the erosion of national sovereignty, I think it now well recognised that sovereignty has its limits - so that even a country as powerful as the US has had to back down on its unliaterism and accept that is simply cannot do as it pleases.
So if civilians try to get away from the SLA bombs etc. and the SL soldiers who have gone into the "safe zone" they are really running away from the LTTE????
And to make this nonsense plausible the GOSL invents further implausible stories of LTTE suicide bombers???
Being Sri Lankan and living in Sri Lanka, as much as we understand the requirement to come for a settlement, the out side world need to understand the same too. The people who seldom know what's happening over here is telling the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) to negotiate with a group of terrorists. Several previous regimes stating from president J.R. Jayawardena in 87' have thrown out many solutions to the LTTE. But, none of them were discussed in length and the time periods were used only to build up their armies and purchase weaponry. The out siders also must understand that LTTE are not the sole representatives of the Tamils in the country. We in Colombo live, work, eat, drink, play and even sleep with our Tamil brotheren. But, this never happens in LTTE areas where any Sinhalees or Muslim entering the area is shot dead.
PLEASE try to understand that the only way to bring peace to SL is by eliminating the LTTE at least from Sri Lanka. We wouldn't care about those who are out side as our negotiations will be with our Tamil brotheren who live here with us. Once the LTTE is eliminated within the next few weeks, the world will get to see how peacefully all of us will live in this beautiful country.
I see in my mind the vision of the mighty Tamil Army of Rajathi Rajan under the command of General Pallavarayan battling the powerful Sinhala Army to protect the Tamil people from Sinhala soldiers. Sword to sword they clash at battles of Thirukkanapaer, Thondi, Pasipon Amaravathi, Manamerkudi and Manjakudi. Finally the Sinhala army was defeated and in the run. General Lankapura captured and brought before Pallavarayan in chains. At the orders of King Rajathi Raja Cholan, sentenced to death for war crimes against Tamil people and executed. The vision in my mind's eye fades and I come to the reality of today. Will the same fate would fall one day on The Commander in Chief of Sri Lanka (Sinhalese armed forces), his majesty Percy Rajapakia and the General Sarath Ponseka
The mass slaughter happened a few days ago when the LTTE shot at the escaped civilians. It was brought under control by the Sri Lankan Army. In a few more days, the rest of the Terrorist would be eliminated and the country would be peaceful again. Oh. BTW, the diaspora should also not be entertained in the country again.
The Successive Sri Lankan Governments have been making the same mistakes since independance. The main aim is win the hearts of southerners and the Tamil Issue is only an issue. If they had respected and heeded to what Selvanayagam asked, there would not have been a struggle for freedom. They have a created a Tamil Army out of only 25 tamil youths. The Sinhalese has not learn yet and it is unlikely that they will. The offensive against Tamils have brought the Tamil Diaspora together and this is what the LTTE leadership had been longing for. The intensity of demanding for separate state has grown and the partion will be inevitable at some stage. The LTTE may have lost the territory but they will come back better and stronger. Remember, they were in a similar situation in 1987, following the Indo-Lanka Accord. If Rajapakse Govt assumes that they have defeated the Tigers, then it has to be assumed that they have not learnt the history. For Tamils, Rajapakse is another one who has joined the queue with Jayawardene,Premadasa, Wijaratne, Chandrika and Ranil. Aren't the Tamils blessed? They have only one Leader.
The successive Srilankan governments have always try to portray Tamils as racists,separatistes, agressors ,teraristes to hide their intentions. In the last 60 years after indepensdence First 30 years tamils had tried non violent and political, democratic agitation and also co-operatied in forming coalition governments with singhalees but what the tamils got from them was repeated violence from politicaly orchestrated thugs, pograms,ethinic clencing, rape of tamil women,killing , military occupation and now GENOCIDE (If Any fair minded person doesnot regard the current happining in Srilanka as genocide then what is genocide.)Only after failing all Democratic and non violent means including appealing to The Queen (during that periord Queen was the head of state, But the sinhala government changed the constitution in 1972 without Tamil's consent. After all this only The Tamil youth started armed liberation in the mid Seventies. Please Internationnal community,and UN wake up. There is no point in giving excuses after the event.
he is giving false informations.it is a world truth if any country wage war againt terrorism innocent people probably would die.but not just like usa in iraq or afganistan.