Sri Lanka: Air force bombs Tamil civilian settlement

September 10, 2008: TamilEelam News Service reported that "concentrated aerial attacks" conducted by the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) densely populated Killinochchi Town area where UN agencies and other non governmental organizations having their offices hundreds of thousands of Internally displaced people also living.

"SLAF's bombers attacked Killinochchi town Wednesday around 7:00 a.m., wounding a 90-year-old man and a 11-year-old boy and causing damage to 23 houses. A 23-year-old pregnant mother was to be operated due to fetal death, caused by the bombardment and a 1-year-old child was admitted in fainted state, medical sources said.
"The attack has taken place at the heart of the town where NGO offices, residences, civilian facilities and other offices are located. The Sri Lankan bombers fired 16 bombs and deployed lethal air bursts, causing wide destruction. NGO office of Seva Lanka and a store of OXFAM are located 100 meters from the attack site.
A pregnant woman, Rega Logeswaran, who was rushed to Ki'linochchi hospital after a stone hit her abdomen, was being operated as doctors confirmed fetal death. The young mother was being transferred to Vavuniyaa hospital. A one-year-old child, Vasanthan Chudarnilavan, was admitted to the hospital in fainted state.
Hundreds of civilians killed
Hundreds of civilians in Wanni area have been killed while many hundreds of civilians were wounded on a daily air raids conducted by the SLAF during last one year alone.
"Sri Lanka is bent on pressing for a military victory over the Tamil Tigers and since 1972 the conflict has left at least eighty thousands people dead. Sri Lanka has been pronounced by media rights activists and rights groups as the most dangerous place in the world for journalists and aid workers to work.
"Three decades old civil war in Sri Lanka killed at least 215,000 people according to the surveys done by the UN World Health Organization. Escalated fighting between the SF and LTTE in the north and east of Sri Lanka at least half a million people internally displaced and over million people externally displaced. "At least 5,800 people have been killed in last two years alone, a human rights group said."
NGO's under pressure to leave
Meanwhile the BBC reports that aid agencies in Sri Lanka are assessing their future strategy after the government said it could no longer guarantee the safety of aid workers in rebel-held territory in the north.
There are 11 international agencies operating in the LTTE-run north and aid workers have expressed concern about the future for civilians displaced by the fighting.
"We are very worried about civilians in the area. Over the last few months, people have been pushed further north and we have had difficulties reaching them as it is," one aid director, who wished to remain anonymous, told the BBC.
"Food and shelter is an issue. If people are pushed into Mullaitivu district, the situation will deteriorate even further. We don't know who will look after them," he said.
The UN has already said it will begin withdrawing staff but a spokesperson for the International Committee for the Red Cross said it was "committed to stay to help people, whether in LTTE [rebel]-controlled or government-controlled areas."
Source: TNS, BBC