Italian envoy, nine others injured in LTTE attack on helicopter
Manjula Fernando and Rafik Jalaldeen
BATTICALOA: The LTTE targeted an aircraft carrying six top
foreign diplomats, international humanitarian organisations' country
coordinators and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe in
Batticaloa around 8.15 a.m. yesterday.
The aircraft came under LTTE artillery attack soon after landing at
Weber Stadium near the STF base in Batticaloa.
The diplomats were being airlifted to attend a field visit in Vakarai
and discuss humanitarian assistance to Vakarai IDPs, chaired by Minister
Samarasinghe in Batticaloa.
Italian Ambassador Pio Miriani was slightly injured in the incident
but later joined the other members after treatment to continue with the
pre-planned discussion on improving the humanitarian situation in the
East.
"The Italian Ambassador received injuries to his head and the US
ambassador to the back by the flying shrapnel," a Disaster Management
Ministry official who accompanied the diplomats in the helicopter told
the Daily News.
"It was a narrow escape. It could have been a major disaster," he
added. He said the delegates subsequently held their meeting at the
Batticaloa Police station before taking off for Colombo around 2.30 p.m.
Over 10 people including four policemen, three STF men, two diplomats,
one airman, a student and the cameraman of the Disaster Management
Ministry media team were injured in the attack.
They were rushed to Batticaloa hospital, where the Italian envoy was
given a saline drip after his wounds were dressed.
The delegation comprised US Ambassador Robert Blake, EU Ambassador
Julian Wilson, German Ambassador Juregun Weerth, Italian Ambassador
Miriani, Japanese Ambassador Kiyoshi Araki and the newly appointed
French Ambassador Michel Lummah. Resident Coordinators of the World Food
Programme, UNICEF and FAO were also in the delegation.
An Air Force helicopter MI-17 was deployed to take the foreign envoys
to the East. A private passenger carrier of "Daya Aviation Company"
which was parked at the Airbase was also slightly damaged.
"The LTTE attacked with artillery from Vaunathivu targeting the
aircraft when it was landing at Weber Stadium. Two diplomats sustained
minor injuries and both aircraft were slightly damaged," military
spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said.
Brigadier Samarasinghe said despite the artillery attack pilots
managed to fly both the choppers, a back-up and the MI-17 to a safer
place.
"The MI-17 was landing at the Weber stadium near the STF base in
Batticaloa when they came under LTTE fire," he added.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed the delegation was caught up
in the attack and corroborated that the Italian Ambassador was injured
in the attack. He was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital upon his
return for a neuro-scan.
The reports from Batticaloa earlier said the US ambassador was also
injured in the attack but later the Foreign Ministry and the US Embassy
corrected saying Blake was safe.
A release from the US embassy quoting Spokesperson Terry White
stated: "The US Embassy confirms that Ambassador Robert Blake is in
Batticaloa along with some other foreign envoys and Minister Mahinda
Samarasinghe on a pre-planned visit.
The Embassy also confirms that Ambassador Blake is alright."
The LTTE later admitted carrying out the attack, claiming they were
unaware of the presence of diplomats.
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Force Tigers to give up terrorism, FM tells global community
Govt condemns LTTE attack :
BEIJING: Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama yesterday
condemning the LTTE attack on diplomats, called upon the international
community to support the Government's endeavour to address terrorism and
force the Tigers to give up terrorism and return to the democratic fold.
"The LTTE has once again demonstrated its true terrorist
characteristics by launching an attack on the Diplomatic Corp on their
visit to Batticaloa, on the east coast of Sri Lanka, on a humanitarian
mission.
This mortar attack was made when a number of senior Diplomats
comprising USA, Italy, Germany, France, EU and Japan Ambassadors were
landing at an airfield in Batticaloa," Bogollagama said in a release.
Seven security personnel and civilian officials also sustained
injuries.
This mission was undertaken to assess the resettlement in process in
progress in the East of Sri Lanka, which areas have now been
substantially cleared of the LTTE and the resettlement of Internally
Displaced People is presently taking place. Human Rights Minister
Mahinda Samarasinghe led the mission, the release said.
It added: "The Government of Sri Lanka condemns this attack by the
LTTE in the strongest terms and reiterates its position on the need to
eliminate terrorism in all its forms. I take this opportunity to call
upon the international community to support the endeavours of the
Government of Sri Lanka to address the scourge of terrorism and to
pressure the LTTE to give up terrorism and return to the democratic
fold.
Once again, this is a reminder for the international community to
take effective measures to eliminate fund-raising and weapon procurement
by the LTTE in foreign countries."
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President orders prompt action
CHINA: As soon as he was informed of the LTTE attack on a
helicopter carrying diplomats in Batticaloa yesterday, President Mahinda
Rajapaksa directed Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and senior
officials in Colombo to provide top medical and security facilities to
the envoys.
President Rajapaksa also directed defence authorities to bolster
security arrangements in the East. |