United Nations tell Tigers to free Tamil civilians

By H. L. D. Mahindapala

(January 18, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) Expressing concern about the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians held captive by the LTTE, the UN has made a strong statement against the LTTE insisting that they should release the civilians and “let them move freely to areas where they feel most secure for the Government to receive the newly displaced people according to International Humanitarian Law.”

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by John Holmes, issued the statement.

This statement acknowledges for the first time that the Government held areas are safer for the Tamils caught in the war than the LTTE-controlled areas. This is the also the first time that the UN has issued such a strong statement. This statement is a blow to the propaganda of the pro-Tiger media and the NGOs who have virtually turned a blind eye to the suffering of the Tamil civilians used as human shields by the LTTE.

The UN statement further states that the Tamil civilians have access to basic needs like food “in large part due to Government and UN assistance”. This statement also gives the lie to pro-Tiger and NGO propaganda that the Tamil people are deprived of food by the Government.

However it adds that “shelter, water and sanitation are increasingly inadequate.”’ (Jan-17) - Sri Lanka Guardian