Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is forwarding a statement from an independent group of Catholic priests regarding the critical situation in the Jaffna conflict area in Sri Lanka.
An independent group of Catholic Priests (who wish to remain anonymous) [under the present circumstances such anonymity is quite understandable – ed] who are working with people in dire need on a humanitarian basis, regardless of the curfew imposed, would like to forward the following information and make an urgent appeal to the international community especially the European Union, Co-Chairs, and Peace envoys of Norway and Japan.
This urgent appeal comes to the conscience of the world from the war-torn Jaffna city. The present critical situation started on August 11, Friday, at 6.45 p.m. Within the last six days the situation has deteriorated drastically and the Rule of death has now become our fate.
Within these six days¡K¡K¡K.
At least 90 civilians are killed by aerial bombing, shelling, shooting and crossfire. More than 150 have been wounded. The number will be doubled if we include the casualties of the combatants.
About 25,000 people are internally displaced and are living in churches, schools, common/public buildings and even under trees on the streets. They are unable to move to secure places due to the curfew and restrictions imposed on the people by the security forces. About one thousand people from the islet of Mandaithevu refuse to receive the relief from the humanitarian agencies. Instead their urgent appeal is to relocate them to a secure place on the Peninsula. The people of Vadamarachchi and Thenmarachchi are facing a serious threat to life due to:
1. the forces who prevent their mobility
2. incessant and excessive shelling and multi – barrel attacks
3. curfew
4. lack of food and medicine
All the supply roads to Jaffna are cut off and we are dangerously running short of essential goods like food, medicine and fuel. Shops are becoming empty; looting has started and within days starvation will be the destiny to the people of the area.
The security forces continue to impose curfew with only a very short break in rotation to different areas which prevents the people from moving towards safer areas. Such curtailing of the movement of people is to use them as human shields.
It takes hours to take the wounded to nearby hospitals that are unable to meet the needs of the injured due to the shortage of staff, lack of medicines and other facilities.
The governmental and the non-governmental organizations are unable to organize themselves because the relaxation of the curfew is only two hours and this is hardly enough to buy even the essential items for themselves and for their families.
There is only a half hour of electricity service every other day, limited telephone service, no water supply, no removal of garbage and subsequently deterioration of health and hygiene.
The air is full of noise due to the heavy firing of artillery and multi barrel shelling from thickly populated civilian areas which are also situated in close proximity to the Jaffna teaching hospital. As a result a devastating situation has been created by which children, women, pregnant women and the sick are affected. This creates a terrible situation and the people are becoming increasingly panicky and tense.
We are heading towards an isolated, unknown and silent death. Are we going to be a people forgotten? Not cared for? Is the world going to keep silent now and count our bones from mass graves later to sit in judgment? How can the international community, especially the European Union, Co-Chairs, and peace envoys of Norway and Japan be indifferent when innocent, unarmed, people are systematically decimated?
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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
