Action Alert Archive

Civilian massacres continue unabated with impunity

June 11, 2006

Civilians in the Northeast of Sri Lanka are now living in an environment where their safety is under constant threat. The killings of civilians are being carried out in a gory, premeditated fashion in cold blood. It does not do justice to the victims to say that their deaths are merely a consequence of the ongoing violence in Sri Lanka. An overwhelming majority of these attacks occur in the government held parts of the Northeast, which are heavily fortified with the presence of tens of thousands of army soldiers, navy soldiers, and police. The ceasefire currently still holds, and in the absence of open warfare, every attack must be a covert, premeditated one to be successful.

In government held areas, regardless of who the attackers are said to be, the government must be held accountable for law and order to prevail in the hundreds of civilian deaths in the past few months. The daily hardships that civilians in these areas face - including displacement due to high security zones, embargoes on fuel and concrete, and curfews - are justified on the grounds of increased security. The ceasefire monitors, in a detailed report released on June 9, asserted the need for accountability and also said, There are a number of indications that the GOSL is actively supporting the Karuna [paramilitary] group. Known Karuna supporters have been seen moving to and from SLA camps, and it is evident that the security forces and police in some areas are not taking action to prevent armed elements from operating.

Impunity has also protected the perpetrators of civilian attacks. Since last month's massacre in Allaipiddy of 13 family members, including a 4-year-old and a 4-month-old, the official report produced by the police did not provide any incriminating details despite having two close family members as witnesses who could identify the perpetrators. As the government does not experience punitive measures, despite the travesty of justice, this grave crime has been brazenly repeated. On June 9, a family of four including a 9-year-old kid and a 7-year-old kid was stabbed to death and then hung from the rafters of their house, after the mother was first raped. Eyewitnesses are reportedly able to identify the armed government army soldiers who committed the killings. On June 7, a family of 10 including 3 children died when the tractor they were riding on was blown up by an anti-personnel mine, most likely intended by paramilitary groups to scare away border town residents.

We cannot continue to let the same tragedies repeat themselves. As the ceasefire monitors concluded in their report, Finally, it should be emphasized that there are two basic fundaments which are necessary for a lasting peace and stability: A confident legal system and full democratic control of the armed forces. These basic fundaments must be strengthened in Sri Lanka if the peace process shall be successful. The ever-growing list of atrocities must come to an end. For the sake of peace in Sri Lanka, we request you to pressure the Sri Lankan government to follow through in carrying out long-needed reforms that will spare the civilians from further suffering.