5 years today - Hellish conditions in No Fire Zone, Tamil

cause will reignite unless self-rule is allowed says

Financial Times
15 May 2014-15 May 2009 - Hellish conditions in No
Fire Zone, Tamil cause will reignite unless sel-rule is allowed says Financial
Times
Medical !ersonnel in "anni told Tamilnet, that o#er 100,000 Tamil ci#ilians
remained in the No Fire Zone$
%nless an e&ternal humanitarian inter#ention is carried out without delay,
it would 'e diicult to a#ert an inhuman catastro!he$ The ()*) has
a'andoned its missions, there is no ood, no !ro!er access to !ota'le water
to tens o thousands o ci#ilians who are orced to stay under the 'un+ers,
surrounded 'y dead 'odies and wounded ci#ilians who are dying without
medical hel!,, a medical doctor in the No Fire Zone said$
Thousands o ci#ilians were shelled 'y the -ri .an+an go#ernment as they
esca!ed the No Fire Zone, ound an %N /anel o 0&!erts re!ort$
)i#ilians had nowhere to hide rom the shelling which was coming rom all
sides$ Many died and were 'uried under their 'un+ers or shelters, without
their deaths 'eing recorded$ 1lac+ smo+e and the stench o dead 'odies
illed the air$ -ome !eo!le 'egged or ood or their star#ing children or or
hel! or the wounded or dying$ The scene was descri'ed as reminiscent o
hell,2 said the %N /anel o 0&!erts re!ort, !u'lished in 2011$
The Financial Times in its editorial concluded that unless the -ri .an+an
go#ernment allowed them to control their li#es, the Tamil cause ado!ted 'y
the .TT0 would rise again$
The Tamil cause will reignite rom em'ers o this war unless the -inhala
ma3ority shows magnanimity and gi#es the Tamils control o their own
li#es,2said the editorial$
14 May 2014
14 May 2009 - 1500 +illed in 46 hours, accounta'ility or rights #iolations
needed says 7mnesty, .TT0 call on %- to lead international inter#ention
/hotogra!h8 9ar 9ithout 9itness
The (nternational )ommittee o the *ed )ross said its sta were witnessing
an :unimagina'le humanitarian catastro!he; in the No Fire Zones that Tamil
ci#ilians were tra!!ed within$
<es!ite high-le#el assurances, the lac+ o security on the ground means
that our sea o!erations continue to 'e stalled and this is unacce!ta'le,2
said the ()*) director o o!erations, /ierre =rahen'uhl$
9e need security and unim!eded access now in order to sa#e hundreds o
li#es,2 he urther added$
-ee !ress release here$
7mnesty (nternational welcoming the %- !resident>s statement on -ri
.an+a also called on the %N -ecurity )ouncil to +ee! -ri .an+a on its
agenda and ensure that those res!onsi'le or #iolations o international
human rights law were 'rought to 3ustice$
The -ecurity )ouncil must now ensure that its demands are !rom!tly
im!lemented, that the situation in -ri .an+a is ormally !ut on the )ouncil;s
agenda and +e!t under close re#iew$ (t also needs to address
accounta'ility or the gra#e #iolations o international humanitarian and
human rights law 'y 'oth !arties in uture2 said -am Zarii, 7mnesty
(nternational;s 7sia-/aciic <irector$
-ee !ress release here$
The .TT0 /eace -ecretariat in a statement, said aid wor+ers had estimated
that o#er 1500 ci#ilians had 'een +illed and ?000 had 'een in3ured during
-ri .an+an go#ernment shelling within the s!ace o 46 hours$
)ondemning the -ri .an+an go#ernment;s reusal to !ro#ide the ()*) sae
entry into the No Fire Zone, the .TT0 reiterated its calls on the international
community to !rotect the ci#ilians rom the :ongoing carnage 'y ta+ing
whate#er measure re@uired$;
-ee ull statement here$
The .TT0 !olitical head urther welcomed the %- /resident;s calls or a
ceaseire and or international access to the No Fire Zone$
A0elam Tamils earnestly loo+ orward to /resident 1arac+ B'ama to lead
the humanitarian inter#ention,2 said the 1$ Nadesan$
-ee ull statement here$
Meanwhile 1ritish Tamils continued their !rotests in /arliament -@uare or
the ?6th consecuti#e day, in what would e#entually 'ecome the longest
!rotest outside !arliament in modern history$
13 May 21!
Mulli"ai#al$s ma#e-shift hos%ital in the No Fire Zone was shelled for the second
consecuti"e day, #illing o"er 1 ci"ilians including medical staff at the hos%ital
re%orted TamilNet and the &&'(
The )* +resident &arac# ,-ama, in a statement on *ri .an#a, urged the go"ernment
to sto% indiscriminate shelling of the No Fire Zone and allow international access to
ci"ilians(
/0tracts from statement re%roduced -elow(
Mulli"ai#al$s ma#e-shift hos%ital in the No Fire Zone was shelled for the second
consecuti"e day, #illing o"er 1 ci"ilians including medical staff at the hos%ital
re%orted TamilNet and the &&'(
Object 1
(>m also calling on the -ri .an+an go#ernment to ta+e se#eral ste!s to
alle#iate this humanitarian crisis$ First, the go#ernment should sto! the
indiscriminate shelling that has ta+en hundreds o innocent li#es, including
se#eral hos!itals, and the go#ernment should li#e u! to its commitment to
not use hea#y wea!ons in the conlict Cone$,
,-econd, the go#ernment should gi#e %nited Nations humanitarian teams
access to the ci#ilians who are tra!!ed 'etween the warring !arties so that
they can recei#e the immediate assistance necessary to sa#e li#es$,
,Third, the go#ernment should also allow the %nited Nations and the
(nternational )ommittee o the *ed )ross access to nearly 190,000
dis!laced !eo!le within -ri .an+a so that they can recei#e additional
su!!ort that they need$2
The US president also called on the Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms.
The TNA, speaking at a press conference, further added that 3000 Tamils had een killed in
genocidal acts y the Sri !ankan go"ernment o"er the pre"ious 3 days.
The go#ernment o -ri .an+a is mass +illing Tamil ci#ilians ater denying
them ood and medicine$ This is the reality$ More 'loodshed can ha!!en in
the ne&t ew days$ 9e a!!eal to the international community to
immediately sto! this systematic slaughtering o ci#ilians$ There is a
genocide ta+ing !lace in "anni$ The entire international community is 'eing
silent$2
See full statement here
Tamil Guardian 12 May 2014-12 May 2009 - Hos!ital
'om'ed, satellite !hotos !ro#e shelling in No Fire Zone, %- D %= call or
cease-ire
Aftermath of hospital shelling #hotograph$TamilNet
45 ci#ilians were +illed during shelling o a No Fire Cone hos!ital which was
unctioning at a school in Mulli#ai+al, re!orted TamilNet$
This hos!ital was set u! in res!onse to the shelling o a !re#ious hos!ital
the wee+ 'eore$
New satellite images, urther !ro#ed that the -ri .an+an go#ernment was
still using hea#y wea!ons and shelling the No Fire Zone said Human *ights
9atch$
*ecent satellite !hotos and witness accounts show the 'rutal shelling o
ci#ilians in the conlict area goes on, A said the -outh 7sia director o
Human *ights 9atch 1rad 7dams$
9itness accounts !u'lished 'y Human *ights 9atch illustrated the ad#erse
conditions o shelling and star#ation that Tamil ci#ilians were acing in the
No Fire Zone$
-ee ull re!ort here$
The %- and %= in a 3oint statement called on all sides to end hostilities and
allow or the sae e#acuation o tens o thousands o ci#ilians in the No Fire
Zone$
The %- -ecretary o -tate, Hillary )linton, and 1ritish Foreign -ecretary,
<a#id Mili'and, called on the -ri .an+an go#ernment to :a'ide 'y its
commitment o 7!ril 25 to end ma3or com'at o!eration and the use o
hea#y wea!ons$;
-ee ull statement here$
11 May 2014
11 May 2009 - ?200 ci#ilians +illed o#ernight in No Fire Zone, 1ritish
Foreign -ec calls on %N -ecurity )ouncil action, 9estminster 'loc+aded 'y
Tamil !rotesters
B#er ?,200 ci#ilians were +illed in another night o indiscriminate shelling o
the No Fire Zone 'y the -ri .an+an air-orce and military, the head o a
local NEB wor+ing in the "anni area, re!orted$
Medical sta were not a'le to re!ort to duty as areas around their
residential huts had aced hea#y shelling, local sources said$
The 1ritish Foreign Minister, <a#id Mili'and, s!ea+ing to the %N -ecurity
)ouncil said that the conlict in -ri .an+a should 'e raised to the security
council, re!orted *euters$
Bur message (s a sim!le one, which is that the +illing must sto!$ The
ci#ilians tra!!ed in the Cone, u! to 50,000 in an area o 3ust ? s@uare
+ilometres are the #ictims o what at the moment is a war without witness$
( 'elie#e #ery strongly that the ci#ilian situation in the northeast o -ri
.an+a merits the attention o the %nited Nations at all le#els, A he said$
/rotests in the dias!ora intensiied across the %=, Norway, France, %-,
7ustralia, Eermany -witCerland, and <enmar+$
1ritish Tamils, once again, 'loc+ed the streets o 9estminster in a sit down
!rotest calling or international action to sto! the +illings o Tamil ci#ilians$
B#er a thousand 1ritish Tamils 'loc+ed the streets with ?F !rotestors
arrested, re!orted the 0#ening -tandard$
7 19 year old student e&!ressed outrage at the 1ritish go#ernment;s
relati#e inaction on -ri .an+a$
The !olice lost control$ They tried to sto! us 'ut we are #ery angry$ 9e
ha#e 'een here or ?4 days and -ri .an+a are still +illing out !eo!le$ 1ritain
must do more,2 she told the 0#ening -tandard$
Meanwhile the %nited Nations s!o+es!erson in -ri .an+a, called or
international access into the No Fire Zone$
9e don;t ha#e any inde!endent assessment o the condition o !eo!le
inside the Cone 'ut we understand that malnutrition le#els are e&tremely
high, not to mention o course 'attleield casualties,, said Eordon 9eiss$
The .TT0 in a statement said that o#er 2,000 Tamil ci#ilians had 'een +illed
in the recent night o shelling and called or the international community to
sto! the :genocidal tendencies; o the -ri .an+an go#ernment$
-ee ull statement here$
% years today & 'hemical urns and phosphorous in(uries seen on fleeing ci"ilians report doctors at
)rench field hospital
10 May 2014-10 May 2009 - Chemical burns and
phosphorous injuries seen on fleeing civilians report doctors at
French field hospital, oronto brought to stand-still as amils
protest against ensuing massacre
<octors at a French ield hos!ital descri'ed seeing in3uries consistent with
chemical 'urnson ci#ilians leeing the No Fire Zone )i#ilians and ,some with
white hands, !ossi'ly caused 'y 'urns rom !hos!horus,, 7F/ re!orted$
*escue wor+ers counted at least 1200 dead 'odies ollowing a night o
intense shelling in the No Fire Zone, re!orted TamilNet$
Meanwhile the city o Toronto was 'rought to a stand-still as Tamils
!rotesting against the ensuing carnage in the No Fire Zone, 'loc+aded the
city>s roads, and 'rought traic to a halt$
7 !rotester, outlining that she would ris+ e#erything to draw attention to
the suering in -ri .an+a, s!ea+ing to )anadian !ress said,
,9e don>t care what ha!!ens to us$ No one wants to cause an
incon#enience 'ut$ mem'ers o the community ha#e their 'lood relati#es
massacred and +illed in the most inhuman ways$,
#hoto8 The -tar
Former -!ecial *a!!orteurs or the %nited Nations Human *ights )ouncil,
condemning the worsening situation in -ri .an+a, called on the )ouncil to
esta'lish an in#estigati#e commission$
-hi!ments o ood and medicine to the ,no ire Cone, ha#e 'een grossly
insuicient o#er the !ast month and the Eo#ernment has re!ortedly
delayed or denied timely shi!ment o lie sa#ing medicines as well as to
chlorine ta'lets$ 7s a result o the 'lac+out on inde!endent inormation
sources, it is im!ossi'le to #eriy any o the Eo#ernment>s claims as to the
num'er o casualties to date or as to the ste!s that it says it is ta+ing in
order to minimiCe the urther +illing o innocent ci#ilians, and ensure
deli#ery o humanitarian assistance,2 said the ormer %N oicials$
The .TT0 urged the international community to act and sto! the +illing o
ci#ilians$
0&tracts rom the statement issued 'y the .TT0 are re!roduced 'elow8
The -ri .an+a go#ernment has unleashed its erocious military aggression
against the ha!less Tamil ci#ilians li#ing in the so called :-ae-Zone in
"anni$ More than 2,000 innocent ci#ilians ha#e 'een +illed in the last 24
hours$2
AThe international community and %N ha#e an o'ligation to !rotect the
Tamil !eo!le acing genocidal aggression directed in a manner against ll
international humanitarian laws$ (t is clear that the -ri .an+an go#ernment
has !re#ented all aid agencies and humanitarian organisations rom #isiting
the conlict Cone$2
A9e would li+e to !oint out that the star#ation o ci#ilians as a method o
warare, constitutes an act o genocide and a war crime$2
AThroughout the entire e&istence o our li'eration struggle, we ha#e always
e&tended our most courteous coo!eration to the humanitarian relie
organisations that ha#e sought to !ro#ide relie o our !eo!le$2
May 09 2009 - No Fire Zone assault continues, H*9 conirms hos!ital
'om'ings, )4 3ournalists e&!elled
The assault on the No Fire Zone continued with the ma+e-shit hos!ital in
Mullaithi#u seeing another inlu& o in3ured Tamil ci#ilians, re!orts TamilNet$
Human *ights 9atch, listing at least ?0 incidents o hos!itals 'eing shelled
in the No Fire Zone, alleged that -ri .an+an armed orces had re!eatedly
shelled hos!itals in the Northern "anni region in indiscriminate attac+s$
Hos!itals are su!!osed to 'e sanctuaries rom shelling, not targets, said
the 7sia director at Human *ights 9atch$2
7 witness rom the No Fire Zone ga#e Human *ights 9atch the ollowing
account8
,( was in the hos!ital$ *ight ater 128?0 !$m$, ( noticed a -ri .an+a military
drone conducting reconnaissance a'o#e the hos!ital$ The !eo!le in the
hos!ital sus!ected that an attac+ was imminent, so they lay down on the
ground$ -hortly thereater, we heard a loud e&!losion in the air, ollowed 'y
se#eral smaller e&!losions on the ground$ Bne o the e&!losions too+ !lace
only a cou!le o meters rom me$ Bne o the doctors, who was lying 3ust
ne&t to me, was +illed 'y a shra!nel !iece that hit him in the head$ Four or
i#e !eo!le were +illed and more than ?0 were wounded in the attac+$,
The -ri .an+an go#ernment announced that it would mo#e dis!laced !eo!le
rom "anni into !ermanent detention centersG in Thenmaraadchi$
HGTamil ci#ilians were +e!t in !ermanent detention centers or o#er 2 years
and some still wait to 'e resettled in their original areas$I
Meanwhile )hannel4 News; 3ournalists re!orting rom Trincomalee were
arrested and sent 'ac+ to )olom'o ater ilming horriic conditions in the
go#ernment run (</ cam!s, re!orted )hannel 4 News$
May 6 2009 - )i#ilians and ()*) 'om'ed in No Fire Zone, %N urged to
ulill duty and sto! genocide o Tamils
The No Fire Zone aced continuous 'om'ardment 'y the -ri .an+an air-
orce, lea#ing at least 242 ci#ilians in3ured and countless dead,
re!orts Tamilnet$
()*) #ehicles trans!orting ci#ilians were also hit 'y -ri .an+an military
'om's$
Meanwhile /roessor 1oyle o %ni#ersity (llinois )ollege o .aw, warned that
the %N -ecretary Eeneral 1an =i-moon, had a charter o'ligation in
:!romoting and encouraging res!ect or human rights and or undamental
reedoms,,; 'y doing all in his !ower to halt the on-going genocide o
Tamils$
-ee ull statement here$
05 May 2009 - Humanitarian situation worsens, .TT0 welcomes ()*),
1ritish Tamils enter second month o continuous !rotest
The .TT0 in a letter to the ()*), than+ed the organisation or its
humanitarian eorts des!ite acing shelling rom the go#ernment and
reairmed its commitment to the saety o humanitarian wor+ers$
-ee ull letter here$
1ritish Tamils continued to demonstrate outside /arliament with demands
or an immediate ceaseire and action to address the humanitarian crisis
aced 'y the Tamils in "anni and (</ cam!s$
The !rotesters who had demonstrated in !arliament s@uare or a month,
reairmed that there endless actions were intended to highlight the need to
end the humanitarian crisis$
1ritish Tamil students in a statement, said,
AHumanitarian inter#ention has ta+en !lace in many !arts o the world to
sa#e !eo!le that ha#e 'een su'3ect to #iolence, ethnic cleansing and
star#ation 'y 'loc+ade$2
A(t is only 'ecause o the <ias!ora that the international community is
!aying attention to the suering Tamils in -ri .an+a$ 1ut what is needed
now is action 'y the international community not merely words o
sym!athy$2
-ee e&tracts rom statement here$
0F May 2009 - (</ death toll rises, call or %N war crimes !ro'e
7mid intense shelling o ci#ilians tra!!ed 'y ad#ancing -ri .an+an orces, at
least 10 elderly !eo!le in go#ernment-run (nternally <is!laced /ersons
H(</I cam!s died this day due lac+ o a lac+ o !ro!er medical care and
!sychological stress, TamilNet re!orts$
Meanwhile, amidst the escalating death tolls, 125 academics rom )anada
and elsewhere signed a !etition calling on the )anadian go#ernment to
ta+e urgent ste!s to sto! the intensiying humanitarian crisis$
7mongst other things they called on )anada to A%rge the %N -ecurity
)ouncil to authoriCe timely and decisi#e measures to halt mass atrocities in
the "anni region o -ri .an+a, including the dis!atch o a s!ecial en#oy to
the region, and the creation o a commission o in@uiry into crimes under
international law committed 'y any !erson or entity$2
-ee the re!ort here and the ull te&t o their a!!eal here$
05 May 2009 - "anni star#es, .TT0 condemns genocide and calls on
international community to su!!ort dias!ora aid initiati#es
7 NEB !ro#iding ood to ci#ilians within "anni, in a monthly situation
u!date, said that o#er 100 Tamil !eo!le had died o star#ation$
-ee ull re!ort here$
The .TT0 in a statement condemning the -ri .an+a go#ernment;s denial o
aid to No Fire Zone;s urged the international community to su!!ort
dias!ora initiati#es to !ro#ide aid directly the Tamil ci#ilian sin the No Fire
Zone, re!orted TamilNet$
/roessor 1oyle o %ni#ersity o (llinois )ollege o .aw, warned that the -ri
.an+an go#ernment;s genocide against Tamils could e&ceed the atrocities o
-re'renica$
-!ea+ing to TamilNet he said,
The 9orld )ourt later ound that the -er'ian e&termination o 6000
1osnian Muslim men and 'oys at -re'renica was genocide in #iolation o
the Eenocide )on#ention$ -ince the outset the latest crisis in January, the
EB-. has e&terminated a'out 5000G Tamils in "anni, certainly a
:su'stantial !art; o the Tamil !o!ulation in "anni and -ri .an+a$ ( not
sto!!ed now, the EB-.; toll o genocide against Tamils could ar e&ceed
recent horrors o -re'renica$,
HGThe (nternal *e#iew /anel *e!ort on -ri .an+a, !u'lished 'y the %N in
2012 estimated the total ci#ilian death toll to 'e around 50,000$I
-onali 9ic+rematunge in a statement made ater recei#ing her murdered
hus'and;s %N0-)B 9orld /ress Freedom /riCe, condemned the -ri .an+an
go#ernment;s :racist war; against Tamils$
Highlighting dominant go#ernment war slogans relating to race, she said,
That this is a racist war is not a secret$ The go#ernment itsel has
!lastered the countryside with enormous !lacards lauding the military with
the slogan, in -inhala, the language o the -inhalese ma3ority which ( too,
'elong, stating8 :-oldiers, our race salutes youK; Not :the !eo!le;, not :the
country;, 'ut the race$ (nterestingly, none o these hoardings are in Tamil,
the language o the !eo!le the go#ernment claims it is see+ing to li'erate$2
( 'eseech you and anyone who will listen not to allow -ri .an+a>s
go#ernment, under the co#er o a war against terror, to engage in acts o
terror or crimes against humanity$ -oon it will 'e too late, and history will
not orgi#e us i we do not act now,2 she added$
04 May 2009 - Human *ights 9atch HH*9I and Tamils 7gainst Eenocide
HT7EI urge international action, -ri .an+a>s ethnic conlict is not >war on
terror> says %= Foreign Bice minister
The (nternational )riminal )ourt )hie !rosecutor, Moreno-Bcam!o, was
urged 'y an ad#ocacy grou! to o!en in#estigations into war crimes and
crimes against humanity committed 'y our high-ran+ing oicials in the -ri
.an+an go#ernment, re!orts TamilNet$
Tamil 7gainst Eenocide HT7EI, in a letter to Moreno, urged the ()) to o!en
in#estigations against -ri .an+an !resident Mahinda *a3a!a+sa, <eence
-ecretary Eota'aya *a3a!a+sa, M/ 1asil *a3a!a+sa and 7rmy )ommander
-arath Fonse+a$
The @uartet should 'e in#estigated or war crimes, crimes against
humanity and genocide o -ri .an+an ci#ilian Tamils unconnected with the
conlict 'etween the go#ernment and the .TT0,2 the letter read$
(n an o!inion !iece on -ri .an+a and the need to address Tamil grie#ances,
the Human *ights 9atch .egal and /olicy <irector, James *oss, wrote,
The current go#ernment is unli+ely to ta+e u! these initiati#es on its own$
The %nited -tates and other concerned states ha#e an im!ortant role to
!lay in -ri .an+a>s uture$ Btherwise the 'loody ighting on the sandy stri!
will not 'e mar+ing the end o the current war, 'ut sowing the seeds o the
ne&t one$2
-!ea+ing on the conlict 'etween the -ri .an+an go#ernment and the .TT0
at the House o )ommons, the Foreign Bice Minister, .ord Malloch-
1rown, said,
( share the #iew that :the war on terror is a much a'used and o#erused
!hrase$ B'#iously, this is a @uarrel that has ancient roots$ (t is also an
e&tremely #iolent @uarrel, with a!!alling things 'eing done 'y 'oth sides$2
0? May 2009 - Fears that military is !re!aring to use illegal wea!ons, ater
re!ort o a shi!ment o gas mas+s 'eing im!orted, TN7 warns international
aid will 'e used in war against Tamils
The -ri .an+an Military de!loyed hea#y and !rohi'ited wea!ons to the
ront lines in !re!aration or a inal onslaught on the No Fire Zone, sources
in )olom'o told TamilNet$
Further re!orts detailed the shi!ment o gas mas+s to soldiers in what was
thought to 'e !re!aration or the use o illegal chemical wea!ons$
(n a meeting with Ja!anese 7m'assador to -ri .an+a Lasushi 7+ashi, a
team o TN7 !arliamentarians warned the di!lomat that any aid gi#en to
the -ri .an+an go#ernment would 'e used against the Tamils$
TN7 !arliamentarian -uresh /remachandran, in a !ress 'rie shortly ater
the meeting said,
9e told the Ja!anese 7m'assador that -ri .an+a go#ernment !lans to
!lace the (nternally <is!laced Tamils held in detention centres !ermanently
in sheds or at least i#e years and we as+ed him not to gi#e aid meant or
Tamils reha'ilitation to the go#ernment as it is certain that the money will
'e use din the war against the Tamils instead$2
-ee ull statement here$
0astern /ro#ince !arliamentarians rom the TN7 accused the go#ernment o
a!!ro!riating land o dis!laced !ersons and colonising Tamil traditional
areas on the 'order o Trincomalee and 1atticaloa$
02 May 2014 - No Fire Zone hos!ital shelled, international in#estigation
needed or enduring !eace says .TT0
The -ri .an+an 7rmy shelled the inal remaining No Fire Zone hos!ital twice
+illing F4 !eo!le, ater recei#ing the e&act location coordinates o the
'uilding, re!orted TamilNet$
7 wor+er at the hos!ital, ? days earlier, conirmed the hos!ital;s location
with mem'ers o the ()*) who intended to !ass the location on to the -ir
.an+an go#ernment to sto! them rom shelling hos!itals$
The .TT0, citing their declaration o a ceaseire on 7!ril 2F, warned that -ri
.an+a was a ;to eradicate a distinct Tamil identity,; and that international
inter#ention would now 'e needed or :enduring !eace on the island$;
The statement urther said,
(t is in the ace o this situation that we see+ the recognition and the
su!!ort o the international community or our struggle$ (t is a struggle or
democracy and an enduring !eace 'ased on our as!irations as a !eo!le$
-hould the -ri .an+an regime 'e !ermitted to continue with its ultimate
o'3ecti#e o im!osing a :inal solution; through military means, we ha#e no
dou't that it will desta'iliCe the region$2
-ee ull statement here$
1 May 2009 - (ndiscriminate shelling continues in No Fire Zone, shoc+ing
ailure to !rotect ci#ilians says 1ritish Foreign -ec
The -ri .an+an 7rmy, ignoring calls 'y the #isiting 1ritish Foreign -ecretary
or a ceaseire and immediate international access to the No Fire Zone,
continued the relentless shelling o the No Fire Zone +illing and in3uring
scores o ci#ilians in Mulli#aai++al$
-ources on the ground told TamilNet that 110 in3ured ci#ilians had 'een
admitted to the ma+eshit ci#ilian whilst 25 in3ured ci#ilians had !assed
away during the night$
The !re#ious day saw 200 ci#ilians 'rought into to the hos!ital with ?9
deaths$
-ources rom ma+eshit hos!ital were only a'le to gi#e accounts o !eo!le
that died in care as se#erely in3ured ci#ilians and dead 'odies were 'eing
let in the ields 'y this stage$
The 1ritish and French en#oys s!ea+ing on their #isit to -ri .an+a, said,
,Time is running out or those tra!!ed or dis!laced 'y the ighting$ Bur
mission was sim!le8 to ma+e, in !erson, the case or the humanitarian
relie that the %N, the 0% and the E6 ha#e called or$,
,Here the reusal to allow the %N, the aid agencies and the media ull and
!ro!er access is @uite wrong$,
,7s mem'ers o the %N -ecurity )ouncil we do not shy away rom the
res!onsi'ility o so#ereign go#ernments and the international community to
!rotect ci#ilians

?0 7!ril 2009 - -atellite images conirm shelling o No Fire Zone, o#er 5000
Tamils +illed in ? months alleges TN7
.ea+ed satellite imagery rom the %nited Nations (nstitute or Training and
*esearch H%N(T7*I, re#ealed e#idence o -ri .an+an shelling in the No Fire
Zone, where 100000 Tamil ci#ilians were estimated to 'e, re!orted
the (nner )ity /ress$
The Tamil National 7lliance, in a 'rieing to the 1ritish Foreign -ecretary,
alleged that o#er 5,000G ci#ilians had 'een +illed in "anni with at least
14,000 in3ured o#er the !re#ious three months$
-!ea+ing at a !ress meet, TN7 M/ -uresh /remachandran said,
-ri .an+a go#ernment which had decei#ed the Tamils or the last ?0 years
is now decei#ing the (nternational )ountries$ (t is +illing its own citiCens in
#iolation o all the con#entions o the %N including the one on Human
*ights which the -ri .an+a go#ernment has ratiied$2
A9hy should the international community which had successully made
=oso#o an inde!endent state or the +illing o 1500 !eo!le remain !assi#e
though more than 5000 Tamils ha#e 'een +illed in the last ? months
aloneM2 he added$
The Tamil Euardian in its editorial wrote,
Those who thin+ that the .TT0 will 'e destroyed in the coming wee+s and
that then it is a @uestion o >!eace 'uilding> and >de#elo!ment> or the ne&t
ew years are gra#ely mista+en$ The oundations or a cataclysmic ci#il war
are 'eing ine&ora'ly laid today$ The +ind o !olarisation that sustain not
decades, 'ut generations o struggle has 'ecome wides!read and
em'edded$2
HGThe TN7 estimates which echoed !u'lished %N estimates were later
ound to 'e drastically inaccurate$ 7nonymous %N oicials, s!ea+ing to a
French oreign corres!ondent in June 2009, said,
,9e rang the alarm 'ells or some months 'ut no-one e#er too+ the -ri
.an+an go#ernment to tas+ !u'licly$(t ga#e the go#ernment a 'lan+ che@ue
to car!et 'om' the whole area$,
The %nited Nations in an internal re#iew !anel re!ort later ound that,
>-een together, the ailure o the %N to ade@uately counter the
Eo#ernment;s under-estimation o !o!ulation num'ers in the "anni,
theailure to ade@uately conront the Eo#ernment on its o'structions to
humanitarian assistance, the unwillingness o the %N in %NHN and )olom'o
to address Eo#ernment res!onsi'ility or attac+s that were +illing ci#ilians,
and the tone and content o %N communications with the Eo#ernment on
these issues, collecti#ely amounted to a ailure 'y the %N to act within the
sco!e o institutional mandates to meet !rotection res!onsi'ilities$>I
29 7!ril 2009 - Hos!ital attac+ed in No Fire Zone, 1ritish Foreign -ec calls
or ceaseire, -ri .an+a down!lays casualty igures
The -ri .an+an Na#y ired artillery at a ma+e-shit hos!ital within the No
Fire Zone, in Mulli#aai++al, +illing !atients, TamilNet re!orted$
B#er 1F0 ci#ilian 'odies were reco#ered ollowing intense gunire earlier in
the day, with another 150 eared dead 'y the e#ening$
The 1ritish Foreign -ecretary, <a#id Mili'and, during a one day #isit to the
island, calledon the -ri .an+an go#ernment to declare an immediate
ceaseire$
,Now is the time or the ighting to sto!$ !rotection o ci#ilians is a'solutely
!aramount in our minds,, he said to !ress in -ri .an+a$
HG.ea+ed di!lomatic ca'les re#ealed a year later that Mili'and>s tri! to -ri
.an+a to call or a ceaseire was !art result o the strong !rotests and
>#ocal> !resence o Tamils in !arliament s@uare$I
Mahinda *a3a!a+sa in a statement said that 15,000G ci#ilians remained in
the No Fire Zone$
HG%N estimates !u'lished in the /anel o 0&!orts *e!ort in 2011 stated that
o#er 125,155 ci#ilians remained in the No Fire Zone$I
Meanwhile internally dis!laced !eo!les demanded that they 'e resettled in
their original homes$
Mem'ers o the Tamil dias!ora continued to !rotest and demand their
go#ernments to ta+e action to sto! urther deaths o Tamil ci#ilians$ Tamils
in .ondon, /aris, Toronto, -witCerland and se#eral other cities !rotested
outside 'uildings o go#ernance$
26 7!ril 2009 - )arnage ensues in No Fire Zone
%n!recedented le#els o shelling and aerial 'om'ardment were re!orted 'y
medical acility wor+ers within the No Fire Zone, who said that the wounded
were let to die as shelling was so intense that !eo!le could not mo#e out
o their 'un+ers to retrie#e 'odies$
The .TT0 told TamilNet that o#er 5,F00 shells had 'een ired into the No
Fire Zone within the s!ace o 15 hours, in what was the most intense day
o shelling the No Fire Zone had seen to date$
25 7!ril 2009 - 7erial 'om'ardment o No Fire Zone, %= !oliticians warn o
carnage o unimagina'le magnitude
The -ri .an+an 7ir Force continued the onslaught in the No Fire Zone,
dro!!ing at least 2? 'om's and countless shells into the ci#ilian !o!ulation,
re!orted TamilNet$

0arlier assurances to sto! using hea#y wea!ons around the No Fire Zone 'y
the -ri .an+an go#ernment !ro#ed utile as hundreds o Tamil ci#ilians were
in3ured and se#eral +illed 'y the areal 'om'ardment$
The .TT0 <irector o the /eace -ecretariat, /ulide#an, s!ea+ing to
TamilNet, said that -ri .an+a was Aattem!ting to decei#e the (nternational
)ommunity$2

Meanwhile the 7ll /arty /arliamentary Erou! or Tamils H7//ETI, a cross-
!arty committee o M/s in 1ritain, called on the international community to
!re#ent the :inal onslaught; o the -ri .an+a 7rmy which would result in
Acarnage o unimagina'le magnitude$2
-ee ull 7//ET statement here$
2F 7!ril 2009 - *elentless 'om'ing o No Fire Zone, -ri .an+a re3ects .TT0
ceaseire announcement, 1ritish Tamil enters 20th day o ast
B#er 200 ci#ilians were in3ured and se#eral died ater the -ri .an+an air
orce indiscriminately 'om'ed the No Fire Zone ?9 times,
re!orted TamilNet$
-ources in the No Fire Zone also re!orted an increasing num'er o military
!ersonnel around the 'orders o the No Fire Zone, s!reading ears o an
imminent aerial and ground assault into the No Fire Zone$
(n a statement that ac+nowledged international concerns, the .TT0 !olitical
di#ision announced a unilateral ceaseire$
-ee ull statement here$
The -ri .an+an go#ernment res!onded immediately, re3ecting the idea o a
ceaseire as a :3o+e; re!orted The Euardian$
Meanwhile a 1ritish Tamil acti#ist, entered the 20th day o his hunger stri+e
in /arliament -@uare, calling or an end to the genocide o Tamils$ /rotests
in /arliament -@uare continued day ater day, calling or international
inter#ention to sto! a genocide$
25 7!ril 2009 - -ri .an+an go#ernment denies #ital aid to the No Fire Zone
7 1$5 Mega Tonne 9orld Food /rogramme H9F/I shi!ment that was
scheduled to arri#e at the coastal region o the No ire Zone, Mulli#ai+al,
was di#erted to Jana at 'y the -ri .an+an go#ernment, re!orted Tamilnet$
The di#ersion came as earlier re!orts rom the No Fire Zone suggested that
1F5000 Tamil ci#ilians were a'out to ace a humanitarian disaster$
25 7!ril 2009 - Jayalalitha concludes inde!endent 0elam is only solution
The Tamil Nadu o!!osition !arty leader, Jayaram Jayalalitha, ater seeing
e#idence o mass atrocities in the No Fire Zone, concluded that an
inde!endent Tamil 0elam was the only solution to the ethnic conlict in -ri
.an+a$
ATill today, ( ha#e ne#er said that a se!arate 0elam is the only solution$ (
ha#e s!o+en a'out !olitical solution this and that$ 1ut, now ( em!hatically
say, a se!arate 0elam is the only !ermanent solution to the .an+an
conlict,2 she said$
-ee ull statement here$
24 7!ril 2009 - %N conirms at least 20000 casualties, -. re3ects aid en#oy
%nited Nations documents conirmed that at least F500 ci#ilians had died
and 14000 wounded o#er the !re#ious three months, re!orted The
Euardian$
%N oicials told The Euardian that 7!ril had seen at least 2000 ci#ilians
+illed and an increasing rate o death$
The (nternal *e#iew /anel *e!ort on -ri .an+a, !u'lished 'y the %N in
2012 estimated the total ci#ilian death toll to 'e around 50,000$
The %nited Nations -ecretary Eeneral, 1an =i-moon announced the
dis!atch o a humanitarian team to the conlict Cone$ The %N
announcement was immediately re3ected 'y -ri .an+an <eence -ecretary
Eota'haya *a3a!a+sa, who said,
(t is not a sensi'le thing at the moment$ There is a ci#ilian rescue
o!eration going on in the area and allowing aid agencies inside the conlict
Cone is not matching with the ground realities$,
24 7!ril 2009 - .TT0 call on international community to !ro#ide aid or o#er
1F5000 star#ing ci#ilians
The .i'eration Tigers o Tamil 0elam H.TT0I, in a statement to the
international community ,said that o#er 1F5000 Tamil ci#ilians aced a
humanitarian disaster due to denial o ood and humanitarian su!!lies 'y
the -ri .an+an go#ernment, and urged actors to ensure that immediate and
continuous aid to the Tamil ci#ilians$
-ee ull statement here$
2? 7!ril 2009 O Further shelling o churches and ()*) regions
The church in "alaignarmadam was shelled or the second consecuti#e day,
in3uring and +illing se#eral social welare !ersonnel, re!orted Tamilnet$
Further instances o shelling o coastlines where in3ured Tamil ci#ilians were
loo+ing to 'e e#acuated 'y the ()*) shi! were re!orted rom the ground$
2? 7!ril 2009 O (ndia calls or !olitical solution and an end to +illings o
Tamil ci#ilians
The ongoing carnage came as the (ndian 0&ternal 7airs Minister /rana'
Mu+her3ee, calling or the +illings to sto!, warned that only a !olitical
solution would ensure true lasting !eace$
-!ea+ing to media ater an hour long meeting on the situation in -ri .an+a
he said,
9e are #ery unha!!y at the continued +illing o innocent Tamil ci#ilians in
-ri .an+a$ These +illings must sto!$ The only lasting solution will come rom
!olitical eorts to address the real concerns o the Tamil !eo!le, gi#ing
them a lie o dignity within the -ri .an+an mainstream$2
22 7!ril 2009 - ()*) intimidated, churches shelled and %- reiterates calls
or international access into No Fire Zone
The -ri .an+an Military ired shells in close range o an ()*) shi! a short
time ater e&act co-ordinates o the e#acuation shi! were gi#en to the -ri
.an+an go#ernment, sources on the ground told TamilNet$
Further re!orts rom the No Fire Zone, said that !rominent !laces o reuge
such as a church in "alaignarmadam had 'een shelled 'y the -ri .an+an
military$
The %- state de!artment, in a !ress 'rie on -ri .an+a, re!eated calls on
the go#ernment to allow international aid agencies and o'ser#ers into the
No Fire Zone$
The %- oicial also stressed the need to ascertain the num'er o !eo!le
remaining in the No Fire Zone$
Meanwhile, an oicial rom the .TT0 !olitical di#ision estimated that o#er
200,000 Tamil ci#ilians remained in the No Fire Zone$
21 7!ril 2009 - -ri .an+an go#ernment delays aid to "anni
The -ri .an+an go#ernment delayed the de!arture o a 9orld Food
/rogramme H9F/I aid shi! to ta+e su!!lies to conlict aected regions in
"anni$
The go#ernment had sto!!ed the shi! orm lea#ing des!ite ha#ing the
e&act co-ordinates o the doc+ing !oint in "anni, oicials rom the
"a#uniyaa <istrict -ecretariat toldTamilnet$
-ituational re!orts or the !re#ious month showed that only a @uarter o
the re@uired aid had reached Tamil ci#ilians in the conlict regions$
21 7!ril 2009 - -outh 7rican !olitical !arty mem'ers condemn ethnic
cleansing and stress need to consider !olitical solution
The -olidarity Erou! or /eace and Justice in -ri .an+a, which consisted o
mem'ers o the 7rican National )ongress H7N)I, )ongress o -outh
7rican Trade %nions H)B-7T%I and -outh 7rican )ommunist /arty H-7)/I
grou!s condemned the :ethnic +illings; Tamil ci#ilians 'y -ri .an+a
go#ernment orces$
The -outh 7rican organisation in their statement warned,
The !ursuit o a military solution not in a#our o a #ia'le !olitical
ramewor+ addressing the legitimate grie#ances o the Tamil
!eo!le and their as!irations or sel-determination remains the
undamental 'arrier 'etween !ermanent !eace amid an unolding
humanitarian disaster$,
( a !olicy o ethnic cleansing continues to 'e !ursued 'y the -ri
.an+an administration, the -olidarity Erou! and its ailiates will 'e
!oised to ta+e strong measures in !ressuring the state to acce!t
an unconditional ceaseire$,
-ee ull statement here$
20 7!ril 2009 - -hells, cluster 'om's and hos!ital attac+s lea#e thousands
in3ured
The -ri .an+an military in one o the most deadly oensi#es o the 2009
conlict 'om'arded the No Fire Zone with shells and cluster 'om's in3uring
o#er 1000 ci#ilians and lea#ing countless dead, sources on the ground told
Tamilnet$
Further re!orts said that the /uthamathalan ma+eshit hos!ital within No
Fire Zone had 'een hit 'y se#eral shells causing se#ere in3uries$
The (nternational )ommittee o the *ed )ross H()*)I )ountry )hie, also
e&!ressed concern o#er the lac+ o medical aid or the !eo!le in the No Fire
Zone$
The situation there is #ery diicult$ The ma+eshit health acilities
that are still e&isting are not immune o the eects o the
hostilities$2 /aul )astella told the 11)$
The Ministry o Health sta still wor+ing there is really worn out -
these !eo!le are wor+ing or months now without any 'rea+, they
wor+ day and night$ 7nd medical su!!lies are lac+ing,2 he added$
20 7!ril 2009 - .TT0 welcomes %- statement, say it>s willing to discuss +ey
issues with international community
The .i'eration Tigers o Tamil 0elam, in a statement 'y its !olitical
head@uarters, welcoming the %- state de!artment;s calls or a ceaseire,
urged the -ri .an+an go#ernment to sto! military actions and commit to an
immediate ceaseire$
The .TT0 urther added that they were committed to meaningul negations
with the international community on issues related to humanitarian access,
security and the mo#ement and welare o the Tamil ci#ilian !o!ulation$
-ee ull statement here$
20 7!ril 2009 - Thousands o Tamil !rotestors 'loc+ade roads in .ondon
7ter witnessing a wee+end o carnage in the No Fire Zone, thousands o
Tamildemonstrators swelled onto roads outside the Houses o /arliament in
.ondon$
B#er 2500 !rotestors tem!orarily 'loc+ed the roads leading u! to
9estminster 1ridge in des!erate attem!ts to orce international action to
sto! the ongoing slaughter o Tamil ci#ilians$
7!ril 19 2009 - Tamil )i#ilian deaths and casualties continue in No Fire
Zone
)i#ilian casualties and deaths continued to escalate as re!orts suggested
that -ri .an+an military shelling +illed F0 ci#ilians and let o#er 100 in3ured$
Medical authorities rom ma+eshit hos!itals said that death tolls were
inaccurate as dead 'odies were not 'eing 'rought 'ac+ to hos!itals,
re!orted Tamilnet$
450 wounded !atients were sent to ()*) aid shi!s at the end o the wee+$
-!ea+ing toThe Euardian a doctor on the shi!, Enana Eunalan, said,
Most o the !eo!le ha#e shell 'last in3uries and gunshot in3uries$
-ome !eo!le ha#e lost their lim's, other !eo!le ha#e lost other
!arts o the 'ody, some !eo!le ha#e wounds in the a'domen,
some in the chest$,
7!ril 19 2009 - 1ritish Foreign -ecretary calls or an immediate ceaseire
The 1ritish Foreign -ecretary, <a#id Mili'and, in a statement, maintained
calls or an immediate ceaseire in -ri .an+a, and or Tamil ci#ilians to 'e
allowed to lea#e the conlict area$
/rotests and demonstrations around the world ha#e highlighted the tragic
loss o lie o innocent ci#ilians in -ri .an+a$ Further loss o lie will only
com!ound the tragedy$ 9e ha#e heard their #oice and will +ee! listening$
9e are committed to do all we can to 'ring this terri'le conlict to an
end,2 said the Foreign -ecretary <a#id Mili'and$
The 7ustralian ca!ital o )an'erra earlier that wee+ saw o#er 6500 Tamils
ta+e !art in a rally to demand an immediate ceaseire in -ri .an+a and an
end to atrocities committed against the Tamils$
Tamilnet re!orted that a !eace acti#ist, .ara /ullin, who came to see the
demonstrations that wee+, said,
The rallies 'y the Tamils ha#e gathered the same momentum that
( saw during the !re 0ast-Timor inde!endence time and 7nti-
a!artheid mo#ementP one gets the eeling where Tamils ha#e come
to a stage where they are saying :0nough is 0nough;
Meanwhile, Tamilnet re!orted that F5 social welare Tamil dias!ora
organisations in France, in a secret 'allot, showed unanimous su!!ort or
the (nde!endence struggle o Tamils in -ri .an+a$
16 7!ril 2009 - Tamil ci#ilians on #erge o dying o star#ation in No Fire
Zone
Thousands o Tamil ci#ilians were on the #erge o dying 'y star#ation in the
No Fire Zone , sources on the ground told Tamilnet$
7 %nited Nations oicial in )olom'o urther said, that the
situational re!ort 'y the Mullaithee#u <istrict -ecretariat had re@uested or
ood and rations to eed at least ?05,219 !eo!le$ Humanitarian aid igures
suggested that only 22Q o the aid needed had reached the No Fire Zone
in the month o March$
Highlighting the e&tent o malnutrition in the No Fire Zone, the re!ort said,
7 nutrition sur#ey conducted 'y the <e!artment o health, Mullaiti#u
<istrict in last wee+ o March, 2009, indicates that F9$91Q o children were
under weight and acute under nutrition is #ery much increased$ The re!ort
re@uests or immediate inter#ention in su!!ly ood$2
16 7!ril 2009 - *a!e, torture and #iolence !re#alent in state run (</
cam!s
7 human rights acti#ist, Thomas -eil'ert, returning rom a tri! to -ri
.an+a, e&!ressed e&treme concern regarding the welare o Tamil ci#ilians
run in internally dis!laced !ersons H(</I cam!s run 'y the go#ernment$
<escri'ing the welare o Tamil ci#ilians in go#ernment hands, he said,
AMany are tortured or sim!ly shot$ There are also re!orts o regular ra!es$2
-ee ull statement here8
16 7!ril 2009 - Further calls 'y Tamil demonstrators or %N to ta+e action
B#er 5000 Tamil demonstrators gathered in New Lor+;s Times -@uare and
outside the %nited Nation to urge the %N to sto! the slaughter o Tamil
ci#ilians 'y the -ri .an+an go#ernment$
/rotestors tra#elled rom across the North 7merican continent to attend
one o the largest demonstrations seen in New Lor+ at the time, re!orted
Tamilnet$
15 7!ril 2009 - -ri .an+a intends to e&terminate the Tamil !o!ulation says
TN7
The Tamil National 7lliance, in a letter to the (ndian /rime Minister,
Manmohan -ingh, said that -ri .an+a;s actions !ro#ed that :the real
intention o the -ri .an+an -tate is the !rogressi#e e&termination o the
Tamil !eo!le$;
The letter highlighted concerns o#er the -ri .an+an military usage o
chemical wea!ons, an imminent mass annihilation o Tamil ci#ilians, and
the ongoing shelling o the No Fire Zone$
-ee ull letter here$
15 7!ril 2009 O Elo'al )entre or *es!onsi'ility to /rotect calls on %N
-ecurity )ouncil to ulil its duty
The Elo'al )entre or the *es!onsi'ility to /rotect, in an o!en letter to the
%N -ecurity )ouncil, urged the international community to demand access
to the conlict Cone or humanitarian grou!s and media and ulil
res!onsi'ility o !re#enting !eo!les rom genocide, war crimes and crimes
against humanity$
-ee ull letter here$
1F 7!ril 2009 - F00 shells all in No Fire Zone, %- calls to halt shelling and
allow international access
The %- de!artment o state, in a !ress release, called on the go#ernment
o -ri .an+a to halt shelling o the No Fire Zone, allow international
monitors to ensure the sae !assage o Tamil ci#ilians and enorce
international humanitarian standards within (</ cam!s$
-ee ull statement here$
The statement came as o#er F00 shells ell in the No Fire Zone within the
s!ace o a day$ -ources in the No Fire Zone registered o#er 1500 shell
e&!losions with roughly F00 occurring within the No Fire Zone$
Tamilnet re!orted that 1?0 in3ured ci#ilians were admitted to the ad-hoc
hos!ital within the No Fire Zone in /uthumathalan$
15 7!ril 2009 - Tamil ci#ilians +illed carrying white lag in No Fire Zone,
dias!ora continues !rotests
The -ri .an+an Military, in an intense ? hour assault on the No Fire Zine
+illed at least 160 Tamil ci#ilians$
*e!orts orm the ground highlighted that in3ured ci#ilians trans!orted with
white lags were 'eing +illed$
The seriously wounded ci#ilians are dying as their trans!ort has
'een 'loc+ed 'y the -ri .an+an army iring on medical trans!ort
carrying white lags$ The -ri .an+an army gunners shot a man who
was trying to trans!ort a wounded #ictim while holding white lag,2
sources on the ground told Tamilnet$
Thousands o Tamil dias!ora across the world continued !rotests and
hunger stri+e demonstrations demanding immediate humanitarian
assistance or the !eo!le in the No Fire Zone and an end to the genocide o
Tamils$
14 7!ril 2009 O Me&ico says *2/ doctrine a!!lica'le in -ri .an+a
*es!onding to @uestions regarding a meeting 'etween the Me&ican
7m'assador to the %nited Nations, )laude Heller, and -ri .an+an Foreign
-ecretary /alitha =ohana, the Me&ican am'assador told the (nner )ity
/ress that the *es!onsi'ility to !rotect doctrine could 'e a!!lied in -ri
.an+a$
9e are #ery concerned that in the case o -ri .an+a there is a
concern o the res!onsi'ility to !rotect the !o!ulation$2
Heller urther added that -ri .an+a;s summary o the #iew!oint he
e&!ressed in his meeting with =ohana was not accurate$
This re!ort was not the irst time the (nner )ity /ress !ic+ed u! on -ri
.an+an misre!resentation o international oicials$
The -ri .an+an oreign secretary at the time misre!resented calls 'y the %-
-ecretary o -tate, Hilary )linton, to allow international aid agencies into
the No Fire Zone$
14 7!ril 2009 O -tates !arty to Eene#a con#ention ha#e legal o'ligation to
inter#ene
-!ea+ing to Tamilnet, a !roessor o (nternational .aw at the %ni#ersity o
(llinois )ollege o .aw, Francis 1oyle, calling on the %nited -tates to ta+e
action in -ri .an+a, said that all states !arty to the Eene#a )on#entions
had a legal o'ligation to inter#ene and !rotect Tamil ci#ilians in the North-
0ast o -ri .an+a$
-ee his statement here$
14 7!ril 2009 O -ources on the ground warn o mass tragedy ater urther
indiscriminate 'om'ing o No Fire Zone
-ources on the ground told Tamilnet that 1F 'om's were indiscriminately
dro!!ed 'y the -ri .an+an air-orce into the No Fire Zone in the early hours
o the morning, as the -ri .an+an military ad#anced with gunire into the
No Fire Zone, in /uthu+udiyiru!!u$
The source in the No Fire Zone warned o an ine#ita'le mass tragedy$
1? 7!ril 2009 - -ri .an+a stri!s Norway o !eace acilitating role due to %-
in#ol#ement
-ri .an+a stri!!ed Norway o its role as a !eace acilitator, re!orted the
7gence France /resse H7F/I$
The go#ernment o -ir .an+a !ercei#es that there is no room or
Norway to act as acilitator,2 a go#ernment oicial told the news
agency$
-!ea+ing to 7l3aCeera, Norway;s s!ecial en#oy to -ri .an+a, Jon Hanssen-
1auer, res!onding to -ri .an+a;s decision, said,
9e cannot 'e acilitators in a !eace !rocess which has in eect 'een
sus!ended since 200F2
<i!lomatic sources in )olom'o told Tamilnet, that -ri .an+a has made the
decision due to worries o#er %nited -tates inluence in the Norwegian led
!eace negotiations$
1? 7!ril 2009 O Bensi#e -ri .an+an military assaults into No Fire Zone
continue des!ite ceaseire claims
The -ri .an+an Military ste!!ed u! the shelling and gunire during an
oensi#e into the No Fire Zone, resulting in the deaths o at least 2? Tamil
ci#ilians, re!orted Tamilnet$
The oensi#e came des!ite announcements rom the -ri .an+an /resident,
Mahinda *a3a!a+sa, that the military orces would act deensi#ely o#er the
2 day new-year !eriod$
1? 7!ril 2009 O .TT0 calls or !ermanent ceaseire with humanitarian
considerations
The !olitical di#ision o the .i'eration Tigers o Tamil 0elam H.TT0I, in a
statement, em!hasised that the .TT0 were calling or a !olitically and
militarily meaningul ceaseire with humanitarian considerations$
-ee ull statement here$
12 7!ril 2009 - TN78 Tamil !eo!le ace genocide
The Tamil National 7lliance in a statement released 'y its Foreign *elations
)ommittee, accused the -ri .an+an go#ernment o deli'erately targeting
Tamil ci#ilians and concluded that :the Tamil !eo!le in the island are clearly
'eing su'3ected to genocide$;
-ee e&tracts rom the TN7 statement 'elow$
The -ri .an+an -tate 'y im!osing an em'argo on ood, medicine
and des!erately needed humanitarian assistance has !reci!itated a
humanitarian catastro!he$2
The -ri .an+an -tate;s use o ood and medicine as wea!ons o
war is a war crime under international law$2
AThe situation aced 'y the Tamil !eo!le is un!recedented$ 9hilst a
considera'le section o the Tamil !eo!le are 'eing e&terminated in
the so called Asae Cones2, or are in imminent danger o 'eing
e&terminated, the remaining sections are 'eing systematically
silenced 'y 'eing herded into concentration cam!s, terroriCed 'y
mass round u!s, a'ductions and orced disa!!earances$2
The use 'y the -ri .an+an -tate o internationally 'anned
wea!ons, such as cluster 'om's and chemical wea!ons, has 'een
a characteristic eature o the current !hase o the war 'eing
waged against the Tamil !eo!le$2
AThe Tamil !eo!le in the island o -ri .an+a are clearly 'eing
su'3ected to Eenocide$2
12 7!ril 2009 - ?1 Tamil ci#ilians +illed amidst -ri .an+an military shelling
and gunire in No Fire Zone
*e!orts rom Tamilnet suggested that at least ?1 ci#ilians were +illed and
?F Tamil ci#ilians were su'mitted to the ma+e shit hos!ital in the No Fire
Zone$
12 7!ril 2009 - -wiss Tamils !rotest against genocide o Tamils
-wiss Tamil !rotestors too+ !art in a demonstration to raise awareness
a'out the ongoing genocide o Tamils to the international community$
The !rotests occurred on the inal day o a hunger stri+e underta+en 'y
Tamil students in -witCerland to raise awareness a'out the atrocities
occurring in -ri .an+a, re!ortedTamilnet$
11 7!ril 2009 - Hos!ital records re!ort 599 deaths and ??50 in3uries in ?
days o attac+s on No Fire Zone
Tamilnet re!orts rom hos!ital records outlined at least 599 deaths and
???50 in3uries amongst the Tamil ci#ilian !o!ulation in the No Fire Zone
ater ? days o shelling$
11 7!ril 2009 - 200,000 1ritish Tamils march through .ondon demanding a
ceaseire
B#er 200,000 1ritish Tamils marched through .ondon demanding a
ceaseire in -ri .an+a, re!orted Tamilnet$
The demonstration, which was instigated 'y 1ritish Tamil students, 'ro+e
all !re#ious records o attendance at Tamil !rotests$

10 7!ril 2009 - *e!orter -ans Frontiers demands that 3ournalists 'e
allowed into No Fire Zone, e&!resses concern o#er -. war crimes
*e!orters sans Frontiers H*-FI warned that the death o two 3ournalists in
the No Fire Zone was yet another war crime that the -ri .an+an
go#ernment would 'e held accounta'le or, and strongly condemned the -ri
.an+an go#ernment;s 'anning o inde!endent 3ournalists rom the No Fire
Zone and -ri .an+an army ront lines$
0&tracts rom the statement re!roduced 'elow$
(t is a disgrace that this war is 'eing waged without inde!endent
3ournalists !resent$ 7nd 'y !re#enting thousands o innocent
ci#ilians rom mo#ing reely, the Tamil Tiger re'els 'ear a large
share o the res!onsi'ility or these crimes$ 1y limiting media
co#erage to guided tours with the !ur!ose o conirming military
#ictories, the armed orces are !re#enting the !ress rom doing its
3o' and are disregarding the !u'lic;s right to 'e inormed in an
inde!endent manner$,
A*e!orters are una'le to tra#el reely in the northern "anni district,
es!ecially the coastal area were nearly 100,000 ci#ilians and re'el
com'atants ha#e 'een surrounded 'y the army$,
10 7!ril 2009 - -to! shelling No Fire Zone, H*9 tells -ri .an+a
Human *ights 9atch in a !ress release demanded that the -ri .an+an
go#ernment sto! iring hea#y artillery into the :No Fire Zone, where they
estimated some 100000 Tamil ci#ilians were tra!!ed$
The 7sian director at Human *ights 9atch descri'ed -ri .an+a;s No Fire
one as :the most dangerous !lace in the world$;
*eaching out to Human *ights 9atch, a doctor in the No Fire Zone, said,
,9e ha#e 'een re!orting e#ery day, e#ery day !ro#iding re!orts to
rele#ant authorities and to the international community, and still
there are no real ste!s ta+en to sa#e these innocent ci#ilians$,
-ee ull Human *ights 9atch !ress 'rie here$
10 7!ril 2009 - %- Tamil organisations urge state de!artment to chec+
re!orts o chemical wea!ons used in No Fire Zone
0le#en Tamil organisations in a meeting with the %- state de!artment
urged the %- 7m'assador to -ri .an+a, *o'ert 1la+e, to in#estigate
allegations and e#idence o chemical wea!on attac+s against Tamil ci#ilians
and called or aid to 'e deli#ered to the No Fire Zone$
-ee !ress release rom the %- state de!artment meeting here$
09 7!ril 2009 - B#er ?00 in3ured ci#ilians admitted to /uthumaathalan
ma+e shit hos!ital
B#er ?00 in3ured Tamil ci#ilians were admitted to the ma+eshit hos!ital
with 45 !eo!le dying ater 'eing admitted throughout the day$
-ources on the ground told Tamilnet that se#eral ci#ilians that were +illed
'y indiscriminate shelling and gunire 'y the -ri .an+an military had 'een
let were they lay$
The sources urther added that an estimate o the total +illed and in3ured
or the day was hard to calculate$
09 7!ril 2009 - ()*) team leader +illed in "anni
7 team leader or the (nternational )ommittee o the *ed )ross H()*)I,
-innathurai =ugathasan, was +illed 'y -ri .an+an military shelling within
the No Fire Zone, rescue wor+ers told Tamilnet$

06 7!ril 2009 - )hild nutrition centre shelled 'y -ri .an+an military
411 ci#ilians including 100 children were aected 'y the shelling o a child
care centre and mil+ !owder distri'ution centre at /o++anai, within the No
Fire Zone$
*e!orts gi#en to Tamilnet alleged that three artillery shells were ired into
the ci#ilian acilities, lea#ing 129 dead and 100 children in3ured$
7n sur#i#or o the shelling in an eyewitness account to Human *ights
9atch, said,
AThere had 'een no distri'ution o mil+ !owder or three months, and so
when they announced that there would 'e distri'ution today, hundreds o
!eo!le lined in @ueue$ (t was early in the morning$ ( heard the irst shell,
and hit the ground$ ( sur#i#ed 'y miracle, 'ut my 45-year old uncle died on
the s!ot- he lost 'oth legs$2
05 7!ril 2009 - -ri .an+an military uses chemical wea!ons, says .TT0
7 senior commander o the .TT0, who witnessed attac+s in the No Fire
Zone said that the -ri .an+an Military was e&tensi#ely using chemical
wea!ons, re!orted Tamilnet$
The -ri .an+an go#ernment had already recei#ed criticism or the !urchase
o wea!ons 'anned under international law$
-ee related article8
)ontro#ersial wea!on meant or genocide alleges M/ H15 7ugust 2001I
05 7!ril 2009 - -helling star#ation and death in the No Fire Zone
7 wounded Tamil ci#ilian s!ea+ing rom the No Fire Zone descri'ed the
hellish conditions that the !eo!le aced under relentless shelling rom the
-ri .an+an army$
<escri'ing a shell attac+ that +illed his son, the wounded ci#ilian, -u'asan,
said,
A( was thrown 'y the 'last and 'oth my ears were 'loc+ed 'y the
e&!losion$ 9hen ( reco#ered rom my initial shoc+, ( realised that ( was
in3ured$ ( tried to sa#e a 'adly in3ured 14 year old 'oy lying near'y 'ut the
'oy succum'ed to his in3ury$2
A( ha#e two children, 'ut the ood we ha#e is inade@uate to eed the amily$
The ood we ha#e here is enough or only one !erson, 'ut we share,, he
urther added s!ea+ing to Tamilnet$
F 7!ril 2009 - Thousands o Tamil !rotestors occu!y !arliament s@uare
demanding international action as slaughter o Tamil ci#ilians in North-0ast
escalates
F o 7!ril mar+s the 5th anni#ersary o the !arliament s@uare !rotests$
Following 2 wee+s o !rotest outside 1ritish !arliament the num'er o
demonstrators escalated to thousands in res!onse to the intensiied
shelling o Tamil ci#ilians in the North-0ast$ Thousands o !rotestors too+ to
the streets and staged a sit down demonstration in ront o the Houses o
)ommons$
For an eye-witness account o the e#ents see here$
Thousands of protestors take to the streets
Veteran British politician Tony Benn joins
demonstrations
#hotographs$ The *uardian
Fth 7!ril 2009 - Medical oicials in the North-0ast re!ort systematic
shelling o o#er 250,000 ci#ilians in No Fire Zone
The regional oicer o the Mullaithee#u *egional <irector o Health -er#ices
H*<H-I,outlined an o'#ious !attern o shelling within the No Fire Zone$
The oicer re!orted that conser#ati#e estimates !laced at least 250,000
!eo!le within the No Fire Zone$
5 7!ril 2009 - -ri .an+an 7irorce intensiies attac+ on ci#ilian No Fire Zone
B#er 200 ci#ilians were either +illed or wounded due to -ri .an+an 7ir-
orce 'om'ardmento the No Fire Zone on this day$
7reas o Maaththalan, /o++anai, "alaignarmadam, (raddai-#aay++al and
other areas o saety Cone were shelled
1?th Fe'ruary 2009 - Tamil ci#ilians ace intense shelling as they lee to >No
Fire Zones>
B#er 150 ci#ilians were eared +illed 'y -ri .an+an 7rmy shelling roads that
were 'eing used 'y ci#ilians to lee rom conlict areas and reach newly
deined :no ire Cones$;
-e#eral casualties and atalities were re!orted along roads side rom
Tea#i!uram to /uthu++udiyiru!!u, with the leeing ci#ilians orced to lea#e
their dead on the side o the roads or 'ury them under intense shelling$
7 urther 90 ci#ilians were re!orted +illed 'y similar circumstances two
days !rior$
11 Fe'ruary 2009 - Hos!itals 'om'ed, relentless assault on Tamil ci#ilians
and calls or international !rotection
Fe'ruary 11th saw the Jana Eo#ernment 7gent HE7I made an
urgent a!!eal to international non-go#ernmental organisations to !ro#ide
ood and !rotection to o#er 2400 internally dis!laced !eo!le H(</I that
were in held across three -ri .an+an Military run cam!s$
The .TT0 <i#isional /olitical Head in "anni, ) (lam!arithy, whilst re'uing
-ri .an+an military claims that the .TT0 were res!onsi'le or the
slaughtering o ci#ilian, urged the international community to !rotect Tamil
ci#ilians$
The (nternational )ommittee o the *ed )ross H()*)I, in a statement
released the !re#ious day, e&!ressed :shoc+; at the lac+ o !rotection and
a'sence o international aid reaching the Tamil !o!ulation in "anni$
-!ea+ing at an ()*) !ress release, the head o the delegation in -ri .an+a,
/aul )astellasaid,
9e are shoc+ed that !atients are not aorded the !rotection they are
entitled to$2
(n a statement .TT0 oicial (lam!arithy said,
The :saety Cone; unilaterally announced 'y the )olom'o
go#ernment has 'een turned to a +illing ield 'y the -ri .an+a
military$ The -ri .an+an military machinery, which has relentlessly
+illed and maimed thousands o ci#ilians during the !ast our
wee+s, is now engaged in a !ro!aganda dri#e to di#ert mounting
!ressure on the )olom'o go#ernment 'y the international
community$2
)olom'o is committing the worst crimes o humanity, 'y +illing
and maiming hundreds o ci#ilians e#ery day with the :saety Cone;
and 'y indiscriminately 'om'ing medical institutions$2
The international community must ensure the !resence o
international !rotection and the monitoring authorities to assure
the saety o the ci#ilians, including the wounded !atients and their
guardians who accom!any them$2
The ()*) !ress statement also read,
Most o the !o!ulation is now dis!laced and com!letely de!ended
on outside aid, yet none has reached the area since 29 January$2
(n a statement made at the start o the month the ()*) e&!ressed dismay
at the -ri .an+an 7irorce;s re!eated 'om'ing o hos!ital and medical
acilities in "anni, stating,
9e;re shoc+ed that the hos!ital was hit, and this or the second
time in recent wee+s$ 9ounded and sic+ !eo!le, medical !ersonnel
and medical acilities are all !rotected 'y international
humanitarian law$ %nder no circumstance may they 'e directly
attac+ed$ The sta are under acute stress surrounded as they are
'y the sound o ongoing ighting and the inlu& o new !atients$
7m'ulances are constantly arri#ing, 'ut !eo!le are also 'eing
'rought in 'y wagon, !ic+ u! truc+s, tractor and e#en motor
scooter$2