Denial of final rites to Muslims

LTTE barbarism has hit a new low going by reports from Muttur where the Tiger terrorists not only have brutally massacred over 60 Muslim civilians but also refused to release their bodies for performing the final rites in accordance with Muslim religious customs.

The victims were killed while they were trying to flee the fighting in Muttur. Neither the Security Forces nor the ICRC could venture into secure the bodies due to the impediments placed by the LTTE.

This act is a worst form of desecration inflicted on the Muslims who lay great store in the religious rites and rituals particularly affecting its dead. It is also against all decent norms and recognised practices in conflict situations where the dead are handed over to the next of kin.

The act also brings to ridicule the LTTE 's oft repeated allegations of civilian casualties inflicted by the Security Forces and its breast beating about civilians' deaths.

It has now been exposed as to who the real perpetrators are.

No less a person than SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem has vouched for the killings. Speaking during the adjournment debate on the plight of the Muttur Muslims Hakeem said, "Thousands and thousands who came to Kantale fleeing Muttur narrated the same story that the LTTE killed some 60 odd civilians with their hands tied behind their backs. The LTTE is denying these civilians even their final rites.

According to eyewitness' accounts the LTTE has redirected the fleeing Muslim civilians on the Muttur-Kantale road, from the 64th mile post ,towards a jungle. There had been women, children, elderly and pregnant mothers among these civilians.

It seems that there is nothing that can quench the LTTE's blood thirst. We need not tabulate here the gory massacres carried out by the LTTE against non combatants and innocent civilians in the past. Its guns had not spared intellectuals, scholars, moderate Tamil politicians and innocents in their midst whom they claim to be the sole representative of.

There had been mind boggling blood letting like the massacres of a bus load of Buddhist monks at Arantalawa, the gruesome killing of bus passengers of Kithluotuwa not to mention the machine gunning of devotees and Sil Mathas at the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and the gunning down Muslim worshippers at the Palliyagodella mosque.

The blackest episode was reached when 600 policemen who surrendered to the Tigers at the instance of President Ranasinghe Premadasa were lined up, gunned down in cold blood.

Going by these macabre details it is difficult to imagine if any terror outfit could degenerate to any further depths of bestiality. But as the saying goes there is honour even among thieves.

Likewise even during wars and conflict there are certain unwritten laws and etiquette that are observed, especially affecting civilian life and their well-being.

When the Angoda Asylum was accidentally bombed by Japanese fighter planes carrying out sorties over then Ceylon an official apology was made by Japan to the then Colonial regime. Such niceties were evident even during the worst days of Adolph Hitler during the Second World War. The underlying message being that civilian life should be respected at all costs even at the height of conflict.

But not for the LTTE such niceties. One recall during the Indian occupation of the North East how the LTTE shot down a group of IPKF Commandos while landing in parachutes, in complete disregard of the ground rules of war. Who in his right mind could expect it to honour conventions and parameters governing civilian safety.

Hence it is nothing but natural it cares a tuppence for civilian lives or their well-being despite its regular protests against alleged civilian deaths from attacks by the forces.

We are yet to see those vociferous critics in the NGO circuit who never hesitate to pounce on the security forces accusing it of killing civilians making even a whimper of protest not only against the latest LTTE massacres but also at insult committed against the Muslim religion.

They should be told that there cannot be any 'standardisation' of civilian deaths- those allegedly committed by the forces and those by the LTTE.

The Bishops in the North who are prompt in voicing their concern over civilians' deaths should also speak up about the LTTE's disregard for the religious sensitivities of the Muslims in denying their dead to be buried in accordance with their religious rites.

The act could also be a calculated one to instill fear among the Muslims who have already left the area to prevent them from returning and paving the way for an ethnic cleansing.

Therefore it is incumbent on the Government to ensure the return of Muslims who fled Muttur and Thopur and defeat the evil designs of the LTTE.

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