SINHALA ARMY CONTINUE TO SHELL/ KILL/ INJURE TAMIL CIVILIANS BY ARTILLERY BARRAGE!!! BUT SAYS NO CIVILIAN CASUALITIES!!!

Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital shelled - ICRC



Hulugalle says military continuing operations without causing civilian casualties

By Jamila Najmuddin

Aid agencies said yesterday the Puthukkudiyiruppu (PTK) Hospital in Mullaitivu came under shell attack on at least three occasions on Sunday killing nine civilians and injuring 20 including women and children.

ICRC spokesperson Sarasi Wijeratna said the hospital was attacked twice during the day and once in the night, and among the injured were mostly women and children who were in the wards.

“At least nine people have been killed and 20 injured when the hospital was shelled thrice on Sunday. We are deeply concerned about the situation and remind both parties to the conflict of their obligation towards international humanitarian law,” Ms. Wijeratna said.

The Colombo office of the United Nations said it was not clear who was responsible for the firing of shells which hit a crowded pediatric ward causing chaos and panic in the area.

UN spokesman Gordon Weiss told the BBC soon after the attack that the last message it received from staff members in the ward was: "Women and kids ward shelled... still trying to count the dead bodies."

Mr. Weiss said that it was not yet clear how many people were killed but since the hospital was full of patients with many lying on the floor, anything landing on the hospital was "almost guaranteed to cause significant casualties".

The BBC quoted him as saying the strikes were significant breaches of international humanitarian law.

But the government yesterday denied aid agency claims that the Puthukkudiyiruppu Hospital had been shelled on Sunday and added that these were mere rumours circulating in Colombo to hinder the ongoing operations in Mullaitivu.

Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) director general Lakshman Hulugallesaid the government was appalled at the rumours and reiterated that no civilians were killed as claimed by the aid agencies.

“The hospital was never shelled. These are only rumours. I checked with the military and it too denied the news. No civilians have been killed and the military is continuing its operations in the area without causing injury to civilians,” Mr. Hulugalla said.

The government yet again urged the international community to pressure the LTTE to allow civilians trapped in rebel-controlled areas to move out to government-controlled areas and seek medical assistance there.

Mr. Hulugalla said an increasing number of patients were in need of medical assistance and the LTTE was using them as human shields thus preventing the security forces from entering the last of the rebel-held areas.

Amid the worsening situation in Mullaitivu with intensified fighting throughout Sunday, the ICRC made a fresh appeal to both the government and the LTTE calling on them to safeguard the civilians and the health institutions.

Colombo ICRC Chief Paul Castella said both parties needed to respect their obligation to spare medical facilities and activities, as required by international humanitarian law in all circumstances and urged them to allow the sick to be transferred to hospitals. “We're shocked that the hospital was hit, and this for the second time in recent weeks,” Castella said. “Wounded and sick people, medical personnel and medical facilities are all protected by international humanitarian law. Under no circumstance may they be directly attacked,” he added in a statement which the ICRC released soon after the attack on Sunday.

The statement added hat the hospital currently has over 500 in-patients, some of them still waiting to be transferred to the government-controlled area for more adequate treatment.

Meanwhile, the government said it could not be responsible for the safety and security of civilians still living among the LTTE.

Media Centre for National Security Director General Lakshman Hulugalle in a statement said the government calls on all civilians to enter the demarcated ‘safety zone’ as soon as possible to ensure their safety and security.


President’s plea to clergy

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday requested religious dignitaries in rebel held areas to move to the cleared areas.


The President made this request when he met Vatican Ambassador in Colombo Monsignor Mario Zenari at Temple Trees. The President urged the Vatican Ambassador to inform those religious members who are in Wanni to immediately move to the cleared areas, assuring to provide all facilities to them.
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