Archive for January 19th, 2009
US Army in Trinco and Objective
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The group of US Pacific Command that arrived in Sri Lanka is engaged in various activities centered on Trincomalee say reports. The group commanded by Mag. Gen. Thomas L. Conant includes Director regarding South Asian countries and defense advisor regarding Sri Lanka and Maldives in the US Embassy in Colombo Lt. Commander Lawrence Smith.The intention of this US group’s visit to Sri Lanka is said to be resettlement of the displaced and reconstruction work in the East. According to ‘Lanka Irida’ of 18th Sunday this US Pacific Command is planning to position a missile system in the islands around the Trincomalee harbour. Meanwhile, this group has met Chief Minister for Eastern Province Pilleyan and had discussions with him reports ‘Sunday Times’ on the 18th. The USA had tried to position a missile system in Trincmalee and when the attempt failed they tried to build a USA military camp near Trincomalee Harbour. These attempts had to be withdrawn due to opposition from the masses. Hence, the visit of this group to Sri Lanka could be, as ‘Lanka Irida’ States, to take over islands around Trincomalee Harbour to establish a missile system. Lanka Truth |
Add comment January 19, 2009
Third Tamil youth shot dead in Moneragala
Unidentified armed persons shot dead a Tamil youth in Moneragala district on Friday night bringing the total of Tamil youths killed in the district to three within a four day period. The victim was identified as Rasiah Selvarajah, 23, of Moopanawela Estate in Moneragala district. The killing has created tension and fear amid Tamil people in Moneragala, civil sources said.
Last Tuesday Ramachchandran Ravichandran of Kumarakolla estate was shot dead.
On Thursday Kulanthaivel Krishnaraj of Kumbukkan Estate was shot dead. Masked armed persons arrived in motorbike had shot these Tamil youths, sources said.
Sri Lanka Truth
Add comment January 19, 2009
Agonising Cry of the People of Wanni,
St. Jude’s Church,
Mullaithivu-Paranthan Road,
Udaiyarkaddu,
Mullaithivu District,
Sri-Lanka,
13 January 2009.
His Excellency Ban Ki Moon
The secretary General,
United Nations
Your Excellency,
The Agonising Cry of the People of Wanni, Sri-Lanka
We the Roman Catholic Priests and Religious serving the people in
Wanni, the theatre of on-going vicious battles, make the following
ardent and urgent appeal.
1. The “uncleared” area of Wanni which consisted of Killinochchi,
Mullaitivu, parts of Mannar, parts of Jaffna and parts of Vavuniya
districts has now shrunken to parts of the Mullaitivu district alone,
as a result of the on-going military operations carried out by the
SriLankan security forces against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE)
2. About 491,000 people from the above-mentioned districts are now
forced to live in the shrunken Mullaitivu district alone. Day after
day, displacements continue unabated, as a result of the aggressive
artillery poundings and aerial bombardments in and around civilian
settlements.
3. In these indiscriminate attacks, babies in mothers’ wombs, infants,
children, women and men, young and old are killed and maimed and
wounded everyday. Even schools, hospitals, places of worship,
civilian settlements etc., the security and safety of which are
guaranteed in the Geneva Convention on the Conduct of War, are not
spared in this aggressive war.
4. The merciless Economic Embargo imposed on Wanni and the Eviction the INGOs worsen the predicament of the innocent civilians. A shortage
in fuel, food supply, medicines, shelter materials and drinking water
weigh heavily upon an already beleaguered people.
5. As the geographical territory occupied by the people keep on
shrinking daily, it is becoming almost impossible for the people even
to move towards “safer” areas, away from the battle fields. A GREAT
HUMAN TRAGEDY HAS EXPLODED IN WANNI. Such a gruesome experience is unprecedented in the recent history of these people.
6. In times of war, the parties to the conflict, particularly the
Government which is a signatory to the Geneva Convention on the
conduct of war has the bounden duty to uphold the Convention. The safety and security and human dignity of the innocent civilians cannot
and should not be trampled upon by anyone, particularly by the
Government, waging a war.
7. What is at the root of this on going war is the STRUCTURAL
INJUSTICE, a vehement denial of EQUALITY and DIGNITY of the Sri Lankan Tamils, perpetrated by the successive Sinhala dominated Governments of Sri Lanka for decades.
8. Therefore, we earnestly urge Your Excellency to take immediate
action to stop this senseless war and put an end to the untold
sufferings of the innocent civilians in Wanni whose life has become a
real struggle for survival. And kindly take the necessary steps to
bring the parties to the conflict to the negotiating table in order to
find a humane and just and lasting political solution to the ethnic
conflict in Sri Lanka .
Your Sincerely,
……………………..
(Signed) Rev Fr.James Pathinathar,
(On behalf of the Priests and Religious of Wanni)
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