I have documented ,including Videos, on the Genocide committed by Sri Lankan Forces.
They are filed under Sri Lanka,Tamils.
This is not apologia for LTTE.
Their crimes are also documented.
The Report by The Tribunal On Si Lanka and
“The tribunal listened to several presentations by NGOs, experts on the recent and current “civil war”
situation in Sri Lanka, in front of a public audience. The Tribunal listened to a larger number of
witnesses, victims, human rights defenders, journalists and Tamils from the diaspora in ‘in camera.
sessions’ in order to protect their identity.
In its work the Tribunal was reminded several times that this civil war was a “war without witnesses”
because the GoSL had prevented either national or international media coverage. In fact, some of the
early victims were the many journalists that were murdered by unknown assassins, something which
appeared to serve the agenda of the Government by silencing critical opinion. The impression held by
most experts and witnesses is that this was a civil war, and an exercise in ethnic cleansing, perhaps even
genocide, and that the Government did not wish to share this with the media. Instead, significant
misinformation as to the policies, the fighting, and the numbers and overall well-being of civilians in
LTTE-controlled areas was provided by Colombo.
This misinformation frequently underestimated the number of Tamil civilians within LTTE-controlled
areas who were trapped by the military, and exposed to attack by aircraft and artillery. It was only when
the final exodus from the much diminished LTTE-held territory began, and the internally displaced
persons (IDPs) were counted that it was seen that the government had misinformed both the national
and the international public.
The atrocities carried out by the military relate particularly to civilians, and there is evidence of cluster
munitions being dropped by warplanes. Some witnesses reported that white phosphorous was used in
violation of international law. Several witnesses had seen burn marks on wounded civilians. Others
believed that indications of napalm were apparent, and evidence of other incendiary devices has been
confirmed by doctors who had cared for hundreds of Tamil civilians wounded in this manner. The
sight of hundreds of dead bodies was reported by a number of witnesses. This indicates that in addition
to the many wounded and the heavy loss of civilian life, the destruction of civilian infrastructure
essential for human wellbeing was common (with women and children among those targeted) in the
diminishing areas controlled by the LTTE.
The frequent use of heavy artillery by the military against LTTE forces in civilian areas, including on
public buildings such as hospitals and schools as indicated above, constitutes a violation of the Geneva
Conventions. The populace suffered from the lack of potable water, lack of access to essential medical
care and continuing lack of access to educational facilities. Virtually all their basic human rights were
violated. Further, loss of civilian life under these conditions was very high. By April 2009, according to
internal documents of the United Nations, use of heavy weapons, combined with air-raids caused the
death of some 116 persons each day. Further, British and French media indicated that during the final
weeks of fighting some 20.000 Tamils were killed.
The attempt to annihilate the Tamil population with or without the use of illegal weapons certainly
constitutes one form of war crime. The question remains if the government intended genocide in
respect of the Tamil people in brutally suppressing armed and political resistance. From expert and
eye-witness testimony, it would seem certain that the military attacked targets of a purely civilian
nature, such as hospitals, fleeing IDPs and many villages. Further, evidence that the military executed
both Tamil civilians and LTTE prisoners of war, who in some cases had voluntarily surrendered,
further supports charges of ethnic cleansing and violations of international law.
Before drawing any conclusions, other atrocities and abuses of Tamil civilians need to be considered.
Witness testimony on IDP “camps”, or perhaps “concentration camps” as suggested by testimony,
demands attention. Portrayed by the government as temporary residential facilities pending the return
home or resettlement of those detained within them, the camps were designated as “welfare villages”
by the government. Fifteen such IDP camps were so designated. These camps continue to be in gross
violation of the Geneva Conventions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Many tragedies
within the camps were reported to the Tribunal members. Living space was very modest, cover was of
galvanised tin which in hot conditions became a health hazard, often resulting in poor skin conditions.
Many children in particular, but also women and the aged, died from diseases such as cholera and
malnutrition. Water supply was a significant problem, with five litres per day for all the needs of a
family being totally inadequate and threatening to health. Sufficient water for simple hygiene, toilet use
and the washing of clothes (most IDPs had only the clothes on their backs) was simply unavailable.
Garbage remained in place, and toilets pits constructed without cement often collapsed leading to
flooding, and, in some cases, the drowning of children. Many children had lost both parents and
become orphans, or only had the protection of a single parent, and were thus vulnerable to the many
dangers lurking in the camps.
Another unacceptable government policy was the withholding of food, and the use of this tactic as a
tool to coerce and torture Tamil civilians. The blockade of food supplies and deliberate underestimation
of the numbers of civilians within the LTTE-controlled areas also led to dangerous food shortages.
The additional withholding of medical supplies to Tamil civilians is equally unacceptable and a violation
of humanitarian law.
http://62.75.216.45/images/documents/ppt_sri_lanka.pdf
Report of The LLRC
http://62.75.216.45/index.php/documents/26-war-crimes-and-accountability
Related articles
- Tamil Genocide,Those who justify are worse than Rajapakshe. (ramanan50.wordpress.com)
- http://ramanisblog.in/2012/03/22/massacre-of-the-tamils-by-sri-lanka-forces-channel-4-videos/
- http://ramanisblog.in/2011/04/26/un-panel-indicts-sri-lanka-on-tamil-genocide-videos/
- The last one has been removed for their shocking natutre.
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