Civilians in safe zone 70,000 to 100,000

The total number of civilians in the safe zone in the North is around 70,000 to 100,000 according to the statistics compiled by the Security Operations Information Centre comprising UNDSS, UNOCHA, SOLIDAR and UNOPS, said Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary General, Peace Secretariat and Secretary Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights.

He said so participating in the debate on the report of the special representative on the Rights of Displaced Persons in Geneva on Monday.

Prof. Wijesinha said these figures are compiled through an analysis of satellite imaging and other information.

Prof. Wijesinha said he wondered as to why the UN did not share this figure with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights who claimed two weeks later that a total of 150,000 to 180,000 civilians were trapped in an ever shrinking area.

“We have grown so used to incompetence and a lack of co-ordination amongst our undoubted superiors that we no longer suspect forked tongues but have learnt simply to grin and bear it.”

Prof. Wijesinha who pointed out the need for transparency amongst NGOs, said a certain NGO had informed a Swiss Parliamentarian that the Sri Lankan Government has opposed to a plan to evacuate these suffering people. Prof. Wijesinha said evacuation of these people was what the Sri Lankan Government wanted whereas the LTTE and its fronts had made clear their opposition to this.

That particular NGO however is active in work amongst the displaced who did manage to escape, having swept up much UN and other funding, in the new game of three administrators for most tranches of assistance, with concomitant multiple overheads, so that our poor citizens do not benefit as much as the generous taxpayers in rich countries think they do.