Peace and Conflict Timeline (PACT) » Civilian deaths

November 2008 – 18 May 2009

pact team — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:48:58 +0000

The Government of Sri Lanka announces a complete victory against the LTTE. Its military forces recaptured all remaining LTTE controlled territories in the Northern Province, including notably Killinochchi (2 January), the Elephant Pass (9 January) and the ultimately the entire district of Mullaitivu (18 May). The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, called for an international war crimes inquiry, saying she believed that both sides might be guilty of war crimes. The Tigers are accused of using civilians as human shields and those who fled the war have testified that rebel commanders fired on them to stop them escaping, killing many.

UN and human rights organisations reported substantial civilian casualties and large-scale displacement, describing the situation as an “unfolding humanitarian catastrophe”. Sri Lanka also came under severe criticism for not allowing international media to report from the conflict zone.

Quotations
“Today we finished the work handed to us by the president to liberate the country from the LTTE,” General Sarath Fonseka, state television broadcast, 18 May 2009.

“This battle has reached its bitter end. We have decided to silence our guns,” Selvarasa Pathmanathan, LTTE spokesman, 17 May, 2009.

“Our forces have recorded another historic victory. That is the complete dislodging of the Tigers from Elephant Pass and the security forces establishing their authority there. … I need not explain to you that the A-9 route is symbolic of the unity that exists between the north and the south of our country. The LTTE obtained several million rupees from the fraudulent taxes they imposed,” President Rajapakse.

“The fundamental problem is these people have to be allowed to leave. It’s very important that the continuation of the fighting not be allowed to cause an escalation of the suffering for the Tamil people of that region,” Richard Boucher, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State.

“Certain actions being undertaken by the Sri Lankan military and by the [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] may constitute violations of international human rights and humanitarian law,” Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Sources of humanitarian and human rights situation
A Profile of Human Rights and Humanitarian Issues in the Vanni and Vavuniya, Centre for Policy Alternatives, 20 March 2009; ’500 killed’ due to medicine shortage, BBC Sinhala, 17 March 2009; Sri Lanka: Urgently Evacuate Civilians, Human Rights Watch, 4 March 2009; Grim scenes at Sri Lankan camps, Channel 4, 5 May 2009.

Sources
Army ‘takes key Sri Lanka pass’, BBC, 9 January 2009; Lankan forces capture strategic Elephant pass from LTTE, The Hindu, 9 January 2009; Sri Lankan troops seize key Elephant Pass, Reuters, 9 January 2009; Lankan army capture key junction town near Kilinochchi, The Times of India, 12 December 2008; Many dead in Sri Lanka, says UN, BBC, 6 March 2009.

6 October 2008

pact team — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:11:13 +0000

A suicide bomb blast in Anuradhapura kills at least 27 people, including Major General Janaka Perera, a former military commander in the 1990s. More than 80 others were injured in the attack inside a United National Party office, officials said. The military blamed the attack on the Tamil Tigers.

Major General Perera is credited with some of the army’s biggest victories over the Tigers, including a 1996 battle in which allegedly 200 LTTE cadres were killed with the loss of just one soldier. The Tamil community accused him of being responsible for hundreds of deaths and the torture of Tamils in the region during the period. Amnesty International raised similar concerns.

Sources
Suicide blast hits Sri Lanka town, BBC, 6 October 2008; Sri Lanka suicide blast kills 27 including former military chief, Times, 6 October 2008.

Related events
6 April 2008
6 June 2008
26 May 2008

6 June 2008

pact team — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 05:52:18 +0000

A bomb explosion on a passenger bus in Moratuwa, near Colombo kills at least 21 people and wounds 47 others. The military spokeman, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, blamed the LTTE for the bomb.

Sources
Tigers bomb Sri Lanka commuter bus, 21 killed: officials, AFP, 6 June 2008; Bus blast kills 21 in Sri Lankan capital, Associated Press, 6 June 2008.

25 April 2008

pact team — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:32:39 +0000

At least 25 civilians are killed and more than 40 injured when a suspected Tamil Tiger bomb is detonated on a commuter bus travelling from Piliyandala to Kahapola, on the outskirts of Colombo.

Quotations

“It’s definitely by the LTTE, with the recent losses and battlefield defeats they are desperate.” Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, military spokesman.

Sources
Sri Lanka bus bomb kills at least 25, Reuters, 25 April 2008.

Related event
16 January 2008

6 April 2008

pact team — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 05:27:55 +0000

A suicide bomb blast kills Highways Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle. The military blamed the attack on the LTTE and said that 10 people were killed and 25 injured by the explosion. The explosion happened as Mr Fernandopulle was attending a New Year celebration at the Kanthi playground in the town of Weliveriya, Gampaha district.

Sources
Blast kills Sri Lankan Minister, BBC, 6 April 2008; Suicide blast kills Sri Lanka minister, Tigers blamed, Reuters, 6 April 2008.

Quotations

“Minister Fernandopulle belonged to both a religious and ethnic minority and could have played a greater role in rebuilding relations between the ethnic communities and the warring parties. Instead he was a proponent of the government’s strategy of military confrontation with the LTTE which claimed his life. At the same time he assisted civil society groups such as ours when it fell within his domain of authority despite our critical stances. Minister Fernandopulle was one of the government’s key speakers, and his absence will be felt at the forthcoming Eastern Provincial elections where he would have played an important role. We urge the government to ensure that all high risk candidates at these elections, icluding leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Rauf Hakeem whose security is being sought to be reduced, should be provided with additional security.” Path of violence and war is too costly, Press release, National Peace Council, 8 April 2008.

“This is most likely the work of the LTTE. It follows closely on the Fort Railway Station bombing, in which also several young schoolboy sportsmen from D S Senanayake College were killed. The massacre of the innocents anywhere, benefits no just cause and has no place whatsoever in any agenda for dignity and peace for Sri Lankans. Such provocative acts of violence spread fear, suspicion and anger. They further widen the gap between our communities and further reduce whatever chances may have existed for peace conversations.” Rt Revd Duleep de Chickera, Bishop of Colombo, 7 April 2008.

“Amnesty International condemns the suicide bomb attack of 6 April 2008 in Gampaha district, Weliveriya, near Colombo. … The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has been blamed for the bomb attack that targeted a local sports event. Amnesty International reiterates that attacks targeting civilians and indiscriminate attacks violate international humanitarian law which binds all sides to the conflict and constitute war crimes.” Sri Lanka: Mounting Civilian Casualties as Conflict Persists, Public Statement, Amnesty International, 9 April 2008.

29 January 2008

pact team — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:30:27 +0000

20 civilians, including 11 children, are killed and 14 others injured in a claymore mine attack of a bus near the Madhu shrine, in LTTE-controlled north-western Mannar district. The LTTE blamed the attack on the ‘Deep Penetration Unit (DPU)’ of the Sri Lanka military; the military denied any involvement.
Sources
‘School children killed’ in Mannar, BBC Sinhala, 29 January 2008; Civilian lives going cheap, Inter Press Service, 7 February 2008, 11 school children kiled in Sri Lanka, The Hindu, 30 January 2008

Quotations

“All the passengers in the bus were either schoolchildren or teachers returning from a sporting event. Among those killed were two teachers and the school principal. One of the teachers killed is a Catholic nun. The attack took place one km from the famous Madhu shrine on the Madhu Thadsanamaruthamanu road. The school children are from Thadsanamaruthamanu and Chinnappandivirichchan.” LTTE statement.

“Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara totally denied LTTE allegations that Sri Lanka Army deep penetration unit attacked a civilian school bus in the Madhu area. He stressed that there were no military teams operating in those areas. Mannar Bishop, Rev. Rayappu Joseph was quoted earlier as having said that several school childred had died in a claymore blast insite LTTE controlled areas in Mannar.” Government statement.

Related events
23 May 2008
16 May 2008
20 April 2008
1 April 2008

16 January 2008

pact team — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:34:57 +0000

A suspected LTTE bomb attack of a civilian bus traveling in the town of Buttala (150 miles south east of Colombo) kills 27 people and injures 67 others. Reports that most of the victims were shot by LTTE cadres.

Sources
Most Sri Lankan bus ambush victims were shot, Reuters 17 January 2008; Bloody End to Sri Lanka ceasefire, Reuters, 17 January 2008

6 December 2007

pact team — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 21:57:54 +0000

A bus heading north from the town of Kebithigollewa is hit by a claymore mine blast, allegedly by the LTTE, killing 16 people and wounding 22 others.

3 June 2007

pact team — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:40:53 +0000

Two Red Cross volunteers are found dead in the outskirts of Colombo after attending a workshop. The Sri Lanka Red Cross later calls for a probe into the murders.

2 April 2007

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:12:20 +0000

The Sri Lankan military claims that the LTTE attacked a bus in front of a military checkpoint near Ampara, killing at least 16 civilians and wounding 25 others.

23 February 2007

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:27:10 +0000

SLMM reports that nearly 4,000 people have been killed in Sri Lanka in the previous 15 months, compared with 130 conflict deaths from the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement until the end of 2005. Total conflict related deaths: 69,000.

Sources
Military contradicts SLMM report on civilian killings, The Island, 23 March 2007; SLMM backs down on breakdown, Associated News, 12 March 2007;

Related events
January 2002

6 January 2007

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:04:11 +0000

The LTTE is accused of involvement in a second bomb on a Sri Lankan passenger bus near the tourist resort of Hikkaduwa, which killed at least 11 people and injuring dozens more.

Sources
Second bus bomb kills 11, BBC Sinhala, 6 January 2007; "Tigers inciting backlash", The Hindu, 8 January 2007.

2 January 2007

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:08:02 +0000

The Sri Lankan air force claims it aerial bombed a Sea Tiger base in Mannar. The LTTE spokesmen said the air raid had killed 15 civilians, including four children, in a fishing village.

Source
Sri Lanka raid kills civilians, BBC, 2 January 2007.

2 January 2007

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 06:10:41 +0000

The United Nations asks both the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE to cease hostilities and resume peace talks, following the aerial bombing on 2 January.

Source
UN for cessation of hostilities in Sri Lanka, The Hindu, 3 January 2007.

Quotation

"Sri Lankans continue to suffer deeply due to this conflict, and yesterday’s loss of life is a source of deepest concern. It is imperative that both sides in the conflict take all measures to fulfill their obligations under international law to protect civilians in this conflict. We have too often seen them fall short in this duty". Margareta Wahlstrom, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator.

8 November 2006

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:21:12 +0000

At least 45 Tamil civilians are killed in Vaharai, Batticaloa by the Sri Lankan military. The Sri Lankan government defends the allegation on the basis that the LTTE was using civilians as ‘human shields’.

Sources
Lanka army kills 45 civilians, BBC News, 8 November 2006; Sri Lanka militray reported to have killed 45 civilians, The Times, 8 November 2006; Return to war, Sri Lanka Report, Human Rights Watch, August 2007.

Quotations

"It seems a school where some internally-displaced people were residing has been hit in the attack… We can confirm lots of people are dead. The numbers are unclear, but initial reports show 50 to 60 people have been killed. The injured could number several hundred." SLMM spokesperson, November 2006.

"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." Defence Ministry statement, November 2006.

"The 12 witnesses who spoke with Human Rights Watch provided no support for the government’s claim. None of the people at or around the Kathiravelli camp that day reported any LTTE artillery fire that morning. The nearest LTTE military base was about two kilometers away, three people said. Six others explained how the LTTE had blocked them from leaving the Vaharai area along the roads, including one incident in which LTTE fighters shot and wounded a displaced person. But none of them said the LTTE had used anyone as a “human shield”, that is, purposefully using civilians to render an LTTE fighter immune from attack. Similarly, Human Rights Watch spoke with three international organizations with direct knowledge of the Vaharai area and the Kathirivelli incident, and none of them had any direct knowledge, or had heard credible reports, of the LTTE using civilians as ‘human shields’.” Human Rights Watch, August 2007.