Attacks on medical transport violates international law - ICRC
LTTE attacks SLAF bus carrying wounded men
By Shamindra Ferdinando and Norman PalihawadanaTwo civilians
were killed and seven others injured when an LTTE suicide bomber made an abortive attempt
to attack a SLAF bus which was carrying wounded Air Force personnel at Wattala yesterday
morning.
Police said the bus was carrying the Air Force men from the Katunayake base to the
National Hospital in Colombo when the bomber, riding a bicycle fitted with a powerful
explosive device, attempted to crash into the bus at 8.15 am in front of the Gemunu
Palace, a cinema situated close to the Wattala market junction.
However, in the traffic rush the suicide cadre detonated the device, prematurely
killing a woman identified as Raseena Saldeen waiting at the nearby bus halt and a motor
cyclist identified as C. S. D. Sydney who came in between the bus and the terrorist when
the explosion was triggered.
This is the first terrorist attack on a medical transport vehicle, defence sources said
yesterday.
"A deliberate attack on medical transport is a gross violation of the
international humanitarian law because it does not constitute a military target,"
ICRC spokesperson Harasha Gunawardene said yesterday.
The Deputy Inspector General [DIG] of Police Daya Jayasundara in charge of the Western
Province [North], said that the device appeared to have been fitted onto the bicycle.
Jayasundara was confident of establishing the identity of the terrorist as his face was
intact. "He lost both his legs," the DIG said pointing out that the injuries
suffered by the suicide cadre were different from wounds suffered by terrorists who wore
explosive packed jackets.
Jayasundara said that the terrorist carried a National Identity Card issued to one
Yakkge Pathmasiri Mediya.
At least seven wounded civilians were rushed to Ragama hospital and the National
Hospital in Colombo.
SLAF headquarters said that the bus was carrying 25 personnel wounded in action in
operational areas in the North and the East from the Katunayake [SLAF] hospital to the
National Hospital. It was the daily "sick run" a senior SLAF officer said adding
that service personnel did not suffer any serious injuries due to the blast. A few
received minor injuries, he said.
UNP MP John Amaratunga yesterday blamed the LTTE for the attack. Speaking to ‘The
Island’ after he visited the scene of the latest outrage, the MP who represents the
Wattala electorate, said that the attack has disrupted the civilian life in the area and
said that this has to be the work of the LTTE.
The morning rush hour blast caused massive traffic jams. Police temporarily halted all
civilian traffic movements between Nawaloka roundabout at Peliyagoda to Hendala. However
the road was re-opened in the afternoon.
A top police official yesterday said that yesterday’s attack, the second blast in
the south this month appeared to have been an attempt to put pressure on police and
security forces.
Military sources said that a key terrorist suspect arrested some time ago, under
interrogation revealed that they made plans to attack buses carrying off duty personnel in
the south particularly on the Colombo - Ratmalana and Colombo Negombo routes.
Police with the support of the army routinely conduct cordon and search operations in
the Wattala police area where intelligence services firmly believe that there are many
LTTE operatives taking refuge with people of the area. "A number of key terrorist
suspects have been taken during these operations," a senior policeman said adding
that the latest attack will prompt more operations in the area.
"We have no doubt the killer was given refuge in a house in the area,"
another source said reminding that Wattala was also targeted in last year’s major
cordon and search operation carried out after authorities declared a curfew in the western
province.
Army headquarters said that the attack was a clear signal that terrorists were
desperate and wanted to show their presence in the city. Senior officers said that recent
battle-field losses in the Jaffna peninsula had prompted these indiscriminate terrorist
attacks.
CWC
wants citizenship rights for Indians born in Sri Lanka after 1964
By Franklin R. Satyapalan
Visiting Indian Foreign Minister Jaswanth Singh assured CWC leader and Minister
Arumugam Thondaman that he would take up the citizenship matter of about 200,000 persons
of Indian origin born after 1964, with the Indian Prime Minister. CWC appealed to him to
take the plight of those of Indian origin born after 1964 and who desire to remain in Sri
Lanka be accepted as citizens of the country with the promulgation of the new
constitution.
This assurance was given to the CWC leader who led a delegation consisting of MPs R.
Yogarajan and S. Muthu Sivalingam to meet the visiting Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Jaswanth Singh at India House on Monday.
The CWC leader had stated in the memorandum submitted that his late grand father CWC
leader Savumiamoorthy Thondaman had submitted a copy of the same memorandum to the Indian
Prime Minister Shrimath Atal Behavi Vajpayee in July 1998 in Colombo.
CWC sources said the visiting Indian Foreign Minister had stated that the fallout of
long drawn ethnic conflict and resultant war had affected the entire Indian community
including the up country Tamils and a further escalation of the conflict will be
detrimental to the Indian community living outside the North East.
Minister Thondaman stated that the CWC had been always supportive of a negotiated
settlement and wished that the parties would begin negotiations without preconditions. He
also said that he recognized that the Indian Government has a special role to play in
resolving the conflict and urged the Indian Government to use its good offices to assist
in resolving this issue.
In the memorandum the CWC leader also had stated that the estate workers had been
living in barrack type linerooms for generations and that the CWC had formulated a
programme to provide new houses which had been and far short of demand of 220,000 houses
and would be very appreciative if India also contributed substantially towards this
programme.
Vajpayee
allays TN allies’ fears on aid to Lanka
New Delhi, June 13 (Shekhar Iyer) Indian Prime Minister A. B. Vajpayee today conveyed
to the Tamil Nadu allies of the NDA that India’s offer of Rs. 440 crore credit line
to Sri Lanka was only a humanitarian assistance and did not mark any shift in its policy
of refraining from helping Colombo in military terms.
Responding to strong protests from the MDMK and the PMK, the PM asked the BJP to
clarify that India was not sending money but offering essential Indian goods on credit.
The party said there was no room for any apprehension that the Indian assistance could be
diverted for the war efforts of Sri Lanka against the LTTE.
"There is going to be no arms supply to Sri Lanka under credit, which is open only
for buying items like rice, wheat and medicines. I have spoken to External Affairs
Minister Jaswant Singh," said BJP spokesperson M. Venkaiah Naidu in a suo moto
statement.
Upset BJP leaders said the Tamil Nadu allies were refusing to understand the
compulsions of the Vajpayee Government, which was only helping Colombo to restart the
political process for a peaceful settlement of the ethnic problem.
Angry Tamil Nadu allies of the NDA, the MDMK and the PMK, however conveyed their
reservation on India’s offer, saying such assistance, without a settlement of the
Tamils’ problems, would help Colombo launch a fresh crackdown on the Tamils, as had
been done in the past.
PMK chief S. Ramadoss wrote to Mr. Jaswant Singh, urging him to reconsider the offer
until such time as peace was restored and MDMK chief Vaiko met Mr. Vajpayee to convey his
party’s protest. The leaders of the two pro-LTTE parties said, "We can provide
all assistance when peace is restored."
The credit offer made by Mr. Singh at the end of his talks with Sri Lankan President
Chandrika Kumaratunga was not in line with the decision taken by the partners of the NDA.
The stand so far was that New Delhi would not aid Colombo in any manner, which would help
its military against the Tamil rebels, they said.
Urging New Delhi to reconsider the move, they said India’s assistance would
encourage the State terrorism against the Tamils.
In a strong-worded letter to Mr. Singh, Dr. Ramadoss said the "humanitarian
assistance of US $100 million loan and food assistance on counter-trade basis was akin to
military aid to Lanka offered by Israel and Pakistan".
He said the assistance would tilt the balance in favour of the Sinhalese and "in
our opinion the financial and material assistance would encourage the State terrorism
against the Tamils.
The government should pursue a process of political settlement honouring the sentiments
of the Tamil minority, Dr. Ramadoss said. (Hindustan Times)
Five Tigers killed by army
Government troops engaged two terrorist bunkers with mortars and armour in the area
North of Madduvil, Jaffna on Tuesday killing two terrorists and destroying the bunkers, a
release from the Special Media Information Centre (SMIC) said yesterday.
Two more terrorists were killed the same day at Allarai when troops in ambush
confronted a group of terrorists with small arms.
At Chavakachcheri the same evening troops sniped and killed another terrorist.
Two suspects
arrested for Ponnambalam assassination
(Norman Palihawadane)
Two suspects wanted in connection with the assassination of Kumar Ponnambalam of the
All Ceylon Tamil Congress have been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Headquarters
SSP Bandula Wickramasinghe said.
One suspect identified as Moratu Saman had been arrested sometime back and the other
was identified as Sujeewa.
The suspect who planned to carry out the assassination, a reserved police constable
identified as Nanayakkara is evading arrest.
The suspects have revealed that the revolver used as the murder weapon had been thrown
into a canal in Narahenpita area.
Two other revolvers were found in the possession of the suspects.
The Reserved Police Constable who planned the assassination had served in the police
till April last year.
He is reported to be involved in several other murders, police sources said.
Intercity private bus torched
(Norman Plihawadane)
An intercity private bus plying from Matara to Colombo has been torched by an angry
crowd at Dehiwela yesterday (14) for running over a woman.
The victim succumbed to her injuries on admission to the Colombo South Hospital.
The fire brigade had rushed to the scene and doused the fire.
The driver of the bus was arrested.
Two arrested for
conspiracy to kill Inspector
Norman Palihawadana
Peliyagoda Police arrested two persons on Tuesday in connection with conspiracy to kill
inspector Samudrajeewa of the Special Investigation Unit of the Peliyagoda Police.
One suspect had been released on bail recently while the other is said to be a resident
of Ragama.
Inspector Samudrajeewa leads investigations of several crimes and fraud including the
murder of a woman soldier at Kadawata.
Police investigations have revealed that a sum of Rs. 25,000 had been paid to carry out
the assassination of Samudrajeewa. This money had been advanced by a suspect now in
remand.
In addition Police said that investigations revealed that Rs. 90,000 had already been
paid to carry out the mission from time to time.
Police is also in trail to arrest a businessman in this connection.
CWC
wants citizenship rights for Indians ban in Sri Lanka after 1964
By Franklin R. Satyapalan
Visiting Indian Foreign Minister Jaswanth Singh assured CWC leader and Minister
Arumugam Thondaman that he would take up the citizenship matter of about 200,000 persons
of Indian origin born after 1964, with the Indian Prime Minister. CWC appealed to him to
take the plight of those of Indian origin born after 1964 and who desire to remain in Sri
Lanka be accepted as citizens of the country with the promulgation of the new
constitution.
This assurance was given to the CWC leader who led a delegation consisting of MPs R.
Yogarajan and S. Muthu Sivalingam to meet the visiting Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Jaswanth Singh at India House on Monday.
The CWC leader had stated in the memorandum submitted that his late grand father CWC
leader Savumiamoorthy Thondaman had submitted a copy of the same memorandum to the Indian
Prime Minister Shrimath Atal Behavi Vajpayee in July 1998 in Colombo.
CWC sources said the visiting Indian Foreign Minister had stated that the fallout of
long drawn ethnic conflict and resultant war had affected the entire Indian community
including the up country Tamils and a further escalation of the conflict will be
detrimental to the Indian community living outside the North East.
Minister Thondaman stated that the CWC had been always supportive of a negotiated
settlement and wished that the parties would begin negotiations without preconditions. He
also said that he recognized that the Indian Government has a special role to play in
resolving the conflict and urged the Indian Government to use its good offices to assist
in resolving this issue.
In the memorandum the CWC leader also had stated that the estate workers had been
living in barrack type linerooms for generations and that the CWC had formulated a
programme to provide new houses which had been and far short of demand of 220,000 houses
and would be very appreciative if India also contributed substantially towards this
programme.
Shortage
of nurses may stop caesarean operations in DMH
By Irosha Weththasingha
Some caesarean operations in the routine lists would have to be stopped at the De Zoyza
Maternity Hospital due to the severe shortage of nurses, hospital sources said yesterday.
Three clinics remain closed for more than three weeks due to the lack of nurses to work in
the operating theatre and the situation has gone from bad to worse because the routine
caesarean operations would have to be put on hold if several persons in the staff goes on
leave together.
Sources said that the hospital needs at least 315 nurses and the present number of
nurses are 168.
De Zoysa Maternity hospital is one of the major maternity hospitals in Sri Lanka and
around 350 women come to the hospital daily for clinics and over 15,000 children are being
born in the hospital every year. Hospital sources said that even the nurses who have been
transferred are still working in the hospital due to the shortage of nurses.
When contacted by us about the situation in the hospital the Director of the hospital
declined to divulge any information about the situation. Informed sources said that she
had been issued a charge sheet for giving information to the press.
LTTE
conscripts school children against parents wishes
The security forces have received information that the LTTE continues to conscript
children despite vociferous protests from parents and thereby violating international
human rights, states a press release from the Special Media Information Centre.
Civilians from the unliberated areas say that the LTTE has been providing training to
school children from those areas. The LTTE leader in the Mulliyawela area has given
special identity cards to school children in Mulliyachchalai Vidyananda Maha Vidyalaya and
Pudikudikuruppu Maha Vidyalaya.
They also say that it is only those students who have been provided with special
identity cards have been permitted to gain entry into those schools. Therefore, a
situation has arisen where other children are unable to gain admittance to those schools
and parents have protested vehemently against the attitude of the LTTE. They have also
expressed their dissent on the LTTE using these children for training. It is also reported
that there are around 50 home guards who are providing training at the Nachchamadamadu
school playground to the conscripted students at the insistence of the LTTE. These
training classes are reportedly held despite there have not been a positive response from
the civilians due to civilians having urged the LTTE not to conscript students as home
guards, as a large number of them have already been killed and despite those protests
recruitment and training are being done by five LTTE cadres.
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