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Facts behind the GoSL’s 10th and 12th aerial bombing in Mavilaru region

The story of Mavilaru water dispute goes back to the 1970s. At that time the Allai-Kantalai irrigation scheme for irrigating paddy fields in Mutur and Senuruwala was started by the GoSL and large scale new Sinhala settlements were created in the traditional Tamil homeland to benefit from the irrigation scheme. These areas are presently in the GoSL controlled areas of Trincomalee.

During the early phase of the present CFA period Asian Development Bank (ADB) came up with a plan to provide drinking water to these same GoSL controlled areas. People in the LTTE controlled areas protested that they have more urgent need for such a water supply scheme and the water that will be used for the ADB scheme is coming from their area. Following the protest ADB agreed to extend their water supply plan to include LTTE administered areas. However, this scheme was put on hold as the political situation deteriorated.

Two weeks ago the NorthEast Development Ministry announced that it is going to implement the water supply scheme just for the GoSL controlled areas. Outraged people in LTTE areas who were excluded from the scheme, who just two years ago successfully raised the awareness of the ADB to their urgent water problem, decided to protest again to force the authorities to address their urgent needs. On 20 July the protesters chose to close the sluice gate and cut the water supply to the GoSL areas. They also sent a letter to the GoSL stating three requests as conditions for reopening the sluice gate: ensure security of civilians who must travel between GoSL and LTTE areas; remove the ban on items imposed by the army; and incorporate drinking water supply to their areas.

No response was received from the GoSL by the protesting people. Instead the Secretary General, Palitha Kohana, wrote to the Head of SLMM on 25 July saying that the GoSL will resolve the water dispute. The LTTE Peace Secretariat received the letter at 9.30 pm. The letter was immediately forwarded to the LTTE Trincomalee Political Head S Elilan. The following morning Elilan informed the protesting people and began plans to solve the issue. The people demanded that they want to talk directly to the SLMM. Elilan went back to the SLMM with the people’s request on the same day. The SLMM could not come on that day, 26 July, due to security concerns but promised to visit the next day. This promise was made at 2.00 pm 26 July. At 3.20 pm that day GoSL bombs were dropped on the LTTE camp in Kathiraveli, 5 km from Mavilaru, killing 7 people.

On 27 July the head of SLMM contacts Elilan wanting to meet the protesters and a meeting was arranged for 2.00 pm on 28 July. At the meeting people demanded guarantees from the SLMM Head which he said he cannot give. During the meeting the GoSL drops bombs very close to where the meeting was taking place. Frustrated protesters walked out of the meeting. The Head of SLMM in an interview to the Reuters said,

"We sat talking and got clearance from the government and tried to convince the LTTE to have confidence in the government. They dropped a bomb in the vicinity. That's not the right signal.”

LTTE Trincomalee Political Head S Elilan poses the following comparison,

- The Pankulam irrigation tank in Trincomalee is occupied by the Sri Lankan Navy and as a result 2000 acres of paddy fields belonging to Tamils have not been cultivated for many years.

- Contrast this with the Mavilaru sluice gate closed by the protesters on 20 July and the GoSL bombing on 26 and 28 July.

Chronology of aerial bombings by the GoSL during the CFA period

Since end of April 2006 that is during the last 12 weeks, 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. Unfortunately GoSL cannot blame paramilitary groups for the aerial bombing the way it is blaming all other murders of Tamils committed by its forces.

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

30 July 2006

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