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Lanka army `kills 45 civilians`
Thursday, 9 November 2006 - 12:05 AM SL Time
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At least 45 civilians have been killed in eastern Sri Lanka after army shells hit a camp for people displaced by the fighting, Tamil Tiger rebels say.
Another 125 were wounded in the shelling in the Vakarai region, rebel spokesman S Puleedevan told the BBC.
The army said it had hit Tiger targets and accused them of using civilians as human shields. The Red Cross are reported as having seen 18 corpses.
Ceasefire monitors said a team was on its way to the area to check reports.
`It was a big attack and the deaths could be as high as 100,` Mr Puleedevan said.
Military spokesman Brig Samarasinghe would only say that there had been `heavy artillery` exchanges in the Batticaloa area.
`Massive incident`
The government agent for Batticaloa, S Puniyamoorthy, said over 1,000 refugees were living in the camp - a school building in Kathiraveli town, in Vakarai.
A doctor at a local hospital, Muthulingam Atchuthan, said he had been told about a `massive incident` and that he had dispatched 10 ambulances and a bus to recover casualties.
The Red Cross said their aid workers have seen 18 corpses, Reuters news agency reports. They said 50 wounded have been taken to a hospital in Vakarai.
Military spokesman, Brig Samarasinghe, said the two sides have been exchanging artillery fire in the area for the last few days.
`This morning, the rebels intensified their attack. Five of our soldiers were wounded. We also retaliated,` he said.
Sri Lanka`s defence ministry later suggested that there may have been civilian casualties when troops retaliated after rebel shelling.
`The Tigers had been planning this situation since the beginning of this month by detaining the innocent civilians in those areas by force to be used as a human shield when the time arises,` a statement said.
Monitors on way
The government and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, a group of European observers overseeing a 2002 ceasefire which now exists only in name, say more than 3,000 civilians have been killed in violence since the beginning of this year.
Helen Olafsdottir, a spokeswoman for the mission, said a group of monitors was on its way to investigate the incident.
The Tigers and the Sri Lankan military have clashed several times in the recent days since peace talks collapsed in Geneva in late October.
The Sri Lankan air force has repeatedly shelled Tiger areas since the failure of the talks.
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Saint
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 8 Nov 2006 18:09:01 GMT Report for Abuse
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It's now more than 65 people daed, according to Yahoo News.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061108/ts_afp/srilankaunrest_061108145832
Edited By - Saint - 8 Nov 2006 18:10:00 GMT |
AnuD
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 8 Nov 2006 18:13:42 GMT Report for Abuse
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THis LTTE style. Banu is used to this. He killed hundreds of muslim civilians in the East.
Rajani thiranagama also had written that LTTE was used to fire at IPKF, then go hide in refugee camps.
Again, these figures are ICRC says that they saw 18 corpses. So, Trumpet net should report 180 civilians dead and 550 wounded admitteed to the hospital.
SLA cannot do anything. This is LTTE style. |
hashini
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 8 Nov 2006 18:22:06 GMT Report for Abuse
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I cannot believe this!
If they know LTTE is using civilians as human shields cannot the Government be more careful.
Great news for LTTE - Mahinda is creating more LTTE sympathizers and LTTE support. Truly a disastrous leader. I bet JVP is happy! |
nale
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 8 Nov 2006 18:22:30 GMT Report for Abuse
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Motta Raala will pay heavily for this crime.
Eelan. |
DVLADV
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8 Nov 2006 18:23:44 GMT Report for Abuse
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Even CNN reported this through AP. So it is getting a lot of publicity, specially for people going to see election results.
Sorry for the people who lost their life but GOSL is getting bad PR. |
AnuD
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8 Nov 2006 18:24:16 GMT Report for Abuse
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If they know LTTE is using civilians as human shields cannot the Government be more careful.
Great news for LTTE - Mahinda is creating more LTTE sympathizers and LTTE support. Truly a disastrous leader. I bet JVP is happy!
Hashini you like reincarnation of Forest.
Kitchen - politics. |
eskimo06
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8 Nov 2006 18:25:09 GMT Report for Abuse
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If Sri Lanka Army fire killed 45 innocent civilians I totally condemn. If that is the case Army should put some serious consideration into their intelligence. Likewise LTTE should refrain from building LTTE camps and artillery positions near civilian populations and displacements knowing very well that if army directs their fire towards LTTE targets there is good chance of falling them into civilian displacements. LTTE likes to capitalize on from civilian killings rather than trying ways to reduce civilian casualties.
In this incident both parties are wrong |
Ruwani
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8 Nov 2006 18:26:54 GMT Report for Abuse
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Even if this were to be true everyone better accept the fact that there is collateral damage in a war. Look at Iraq and Afghanistan. The SLA has done a very good job in keeping the casualties to a minimum. It is the best Army in the world when it comes to counter-terrorism.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/08/sports/AS_SPT_OLY_Beijing_Sri_Lanka_Security.php |
MaKaSo
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8 Nov 2006 18:29:11 GMT Report for Abuse
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We should condemn any type of attack on civilians.
SLA should not fall into LTTE's traps. LTTE used to kill civilians for may reasons but SLA shoul not retaliate same way.
Edited By - MaKaSo - 8 Nov 2006 18:32:17 GMT |
hashini
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8 Nov 2006 18:29:35 GMT Report for Abuse
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Ruwani:
Even if this were to be true everyone better accept the fact that there is collateral damage in a war. Look at Iraq and Afghanistan. The SLA has done a very good job in keeping the casualties to a minimum. It is the best Army in the world when it comes to counter-terrorism
Here goes your MODA analogy. USA is killing Afghanistanis and Iraqis - none of their citizens. With approximately more than 11, 200 miles far from their homeland.
GOSL and LTTE are fighting citizens of the same country with approximately about 120 miles of a distance.
Collateral damage here is not cattle, land or houses but human lives! |
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