International condemnation and
concerns on civilian casualties in Sri
Lanka rose last week with the
assassination of Minister Jeyaraj
Fernandupulle at a public sporting
event.
Among those who condemned the attack
was the United Nations, the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights Louise
Arbour and Amnesty International.
The blast that killed Fernandupulle
left 14 others dead and 90 injured.
According to figures released by the
government at the monthly extension of
the emergency 191 civlian have died in
the first four months of this year in
attacks blamed on the Tigers and over
400 injured. However figures maintained
by international agencies quote higher
death figures. The ICRC said that over
180 no-combatants were killed and 270
injured in the first six weeks of this
year. Agencies working on protection
issues said that the current figure
could be around 280 dead and 380
injured. The civilian death toll had
gone down in the last month with attacks
in civilian areas also going down.
However the Fernadupulle attack once
again highlighted the wanton targeting
of civilians.
"Such violence shows a complete
disregard for the right to life and
security of Sri Lankans, and breaches
the most fundamental principles of
international law," Arbour said in a
statement.
The Tigers were criticised by her for
targeting unarmed civilians. "I remind
the LTTE and other armed groups that
attacks which directly or
indiscriminately target civilians are
crimes under international law."
AI also came down hard on the Tigers.
"AI reiterates that attacks targeting
civilians and indiscriminate attacks
violate international humanitarian law
which binds all sides to the conflict
and constitute war crimes. All such
attacks must cease immediately and
unconditionally, and perpetrators must
be brought to justice," it said.
"More recently, the LTTE has been
deliberately targeting civilians in an
extended series of attacks. It is a
basic principle of international
humanitarian law that persons fighting
in armed conflict must, at all times,
distinguish between civilians and
combatants and between civilian objects
and military objectives," it said.
AI also critcised both parties for
the violence in the Madhu Church areas.
"As a result of intensifying fighting, a
historic statue of the Virgin Mary has
been removed for safety from the Madhu
shrine.7 The LTTE is reported to have
used communities around the Church as
‘human shields’ and AI l has in the past
raised concerns about the recruitment of
children by the LTTE from families
living in the locality. The government
for its part in April 2008 reportedly
shelled civilian areas around the Church
in April 2008. The Bishop of Mannar,
Rayappu Joseph has repeatedly appealed
to both sides to respect the Madhu area
as a no-conflict zone."
