Strikes after Vakarai cleared of civilians

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: The Security Forces are awaiting till the last civilians vacate Vakarai and Kathirveli area to flush out the Tiger threats to create a better environment to resettle the displaced civilians there, Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said yesterday.

He said the Security Forces are more concerned about the safety of the civilians who are being forcibly kept by the LTTE as a human shield to cover up their gun positions used to launch attacks on the Security Forces. "Only 8,000 - 9,000 people are remaining in Vakarai after thousands reached cleared areas through jungle paths risking the threats of the LTTE," the Brigadier added.

More than 29,000 civilians had escaped the Tiger grip in the uncleared areas and had moved to the safer areas controlled by the Government Forces.

He said mostly elder and disabled people are living there as they are not in a position to reach cleared areas through jungle paths like others. "We have to inform the ICRC to get the LTTE to open the road for this section of people to reach cleared areas," Brigadier Samarasinghe added.

According to the Security Forces despite the Tamil civilians' urge to move to the controlled areas, Tigers had been retaining them forcibly in Verugal and Vakarai areas around their detachments and gun positions forming them into a human shield against the retaliations by the Security Forces.

Tigers in desperate attempts to survive the criticism leveled at them by the besieged Tamil civilians in Vakarai and Kathirweli area and the international community on their brutalities had resorted to allege Security Forces air strikes on religious places, schools and hospitals, thus to gain public sympathy.

LTTE in their latest attempt in this sinister campaign alleges an air strike on the Verugal Murugan Kovil at Echchalmpattu in Trincomalee district on December 28.Sri Lanka Air Force, experienced and precise in acquiring targets with the sophisticated technology possessed, stated that an air strike was carried out on 28th at an identified Tiger's heavy gun position in action around 9.03 a.m. and never targeted a Kovil.

Air Force further stated that they take maximum precautions when they carry out retaliatory strikes to ensure that no civilians or any religious places are harmed.

Moreover, It had been the Tiger practice to place their guns, mortar positions and the camps at places closer to religious places, hospitals and schools to avert retaliations.

The Security Forces at times had to abstain from retaliating to the tiger artillery and mortar attacks when such positions are at public or religious places to avoid damages to these places as a courtesy to humanity.

Recently an attempt by the Tigers was exposed as false when they alleged that the Air Force had carried out an attack at Tsunami memorial ceremony on 26th.