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Mavilaru onwards – the Sri Lankan military onslaughts

Since the beginning of August 2006, the Sri Lankan government has been on a campaign of military onslaughts violating the CFA in the most serious manner possible. This brief document lists some of the major military onslaughts by the Sri Lankan government in chronological order. The onslaught has almost all the time targeted civilians directly causing large scale displacement. Each onslaught swelling the refugees numbers at an alarming rate. A brief description of the refugee situation is annexed with this report. A more detailed report on the refugee situation will be issued shortly

Mavilaru - GoSL onslaught (1)

Mavilaru sluice gate issue is a civil dispute between people who had no drinking water and the government of Sri Lanka. 3000 families from 12 villages were badly affected by the drinking water crisis. People closed the sluice gate to raise awareness about their plight. Discussions were already afoot with SLMM facilitation to resolve the issue. The GoSL using the civil dispute as a pretext launched a military onslaught saying they want control of the sluice gate. Fact remains that this area of Trincomalee has come under repeated air strike since April 2006. Please see the list of aerial bombardments at the end of this document. More than 30 schools were damaged in this area by these aerial attacks. On 26 July, Sri Lankan government launched air and land attack on the pretext of capturing the sluice gate.

On 1 August, LTTE took defensive attacks but withdrew to CFA positions soon after.

On 6 August, SLMM Head of Mission went with Elilan to open the sluice gate. The Sri Lankan military bombarded the location and forced the SLMM monitors to take cover. Due to the bombardment the opening of the gate had to be abandoned. Air attacks on the same day killed 15 civilians. On 8 August, representatives of the protesting civilians with LTTE Political Head for Trincomalee, Elilan, opened the sluice gate. However, the opening of the sluice gate did not bring an end to the Sri Lankan government onslaught. The continued onslaught forced thousands to flee, destroyed transport infrastructure including bridges.

Thenakam – GoSL onslaught (2)

On July 29, Sri Lankan Air Force bombed a Liberation Tigers' Thenakam Conference Centre in Karadiyanaru, 24 kilometers northwest of Batticaloa. Eight LTTE members were killed.

Tharavai – GoSL onslaught (3)

On 11 August, Sri Lanka Air Force jets bombed residential Tharavai area. SLAF Kfir bombers dropped at least 16 bombs in four bombing sorties destroying homes and setting fire to the surrounding scrub jungles. Farming activities were also destroyed. Tharavai is in the LTTE area in Batticaloa.

Muhamalai-1 – GoSL onslaught (4)

On 11 August, Sri Lankan military began heavy artillery bombardment towards the LTTE from the Muhamalai end in the north. The attack lasted several days as LTTE took defensive action. The military also closed the Vavuniya, Uyilankulam, and Madhu checkpoints effectively blocking out the northern sector of Northeast. These borders have remained closed since.

Sampoor – GoSL onslaught (5)

On 28 August, Sri Lankan military began an onslaught to occupy the LTTE area of Sampoor. The stated purpose according to GoSL was to neutralize the LTTE attack on Sri Lankan Naval facility in Trincomalee. However, negotiations were in progress with Norway facilitation for LTTE to move the weapons from Sampoor. Indeed in a letter from the Norway ambassador dated 24 August, the LTTE position was stated. LTTE was ready to move weapons from Sampur if the GoSL will cease all shelling and aerial bombardments. While the negotiations were in progress, GoSL launched its onslaught for occupation. The attack and occupation achieved through a scorched earth policy left the area deserted with heavy damages to life and property. 46,000 people displaced. All farming activities were destroyed. Close to 100 civilians were killed.

Kanchikudichcharu -GoSL onslaught (6)

On September 06, Sri Lanka military started an onslaught towards the LTTE area of of kanchkudichcharu from its Kanjirankuda camp in Amparai district. A shop and two civilian houses were damaged in Sri Lankan military shelling.

Muhamalai 2 – GoSL onslaught (7)

On 9 September, Sri Lankan military again attempted to move forward from the northern FDL at Kilali. The onslaught is continuing as this report is written.

Others

There were several more aerial attacks in addition to the onslaughts listed above. The aerial attacks carried out by the GoSL prior to the Mavilaru onslaught is listed below. The list of aerial attacks since Mavilaru onslaught will be released soon. The attack on a school camp in Vallipunam in Mullathivu on 14 August requires a special mention. 51 school girls aged 17-19 were killed in this bombing.

Chronology of aerial bombings by the GoSL prior to Mavilaru onslaught

From April 2006 till the Mavilaru onslaught, Sri Lankan air force has dropped bombs in the Tamil homeland 13 times. 33 people were killed, 47 people were injured, and more than 7000 people are displaced. However, there have been scores more aerial bombings since then. A detailed list will be published soon.

1. 25 April, Mutur East, Trincomalee – 15 killed, 25 injured
2. 26 April, Mutur East, Trincomalee, 3 killed, 8 injured, 3000 displaced
3. 11 May, Karuppaddamurippu, Vavuniya,
4. 11 May, between Mankulam and Oddusuddan, Kilinochchi
5. 15 June, Mutur East, Trincomalee, 100 displaced
6. 15 June, Selvapuram tsunami camp, Mullaitivu, 1000 displaced.
7. 15 June, Tharavai, Batticaloa
8. 15 June, suburbs of Kilinochchi
9. 16 June, suburbs of Kilinochchi
10. 26 July, Mavilaru & Kathiraveli, Trincomalee, 7 killed, 8 injured, 3000 displaced
11. 27 July, Keppapulavu, Mullaitivu
12. 28 July, Eachchilampathu, Trincomalee, 2 injured
13. 29 July, Karadiyanaru, Batticaloa, 8 killed, 4 injured

10 September 2006

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