18 civilians flee from LTTE tyranny- Mullaittivu
18 civilians belonging to 6 families, have fled from
LTTE after been held captive for months and have sought protection with
security forces at Omanthai, Monday (Dec 15) at around 3.30p.m.
The group included 11 men, 3 women, 3 boys and a girl
who were reportedly from Oddusudan, Keridamadu and Mannakandal
localities at Mullattivu district. According to Army sources, the
civilians have made the escape from LTTE for 6 days until they reached
the Omanthai Entry/ Exit point in Vavuniya.
These civilians have alleged LTTE terrorists for
looting the large food stocks sent as humanitarian aid for the thousands
entrapped with the outfit in Wanni. "We only receive a small portion of
the food sent into Wanni", the civilians were quoted as further saying.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday (Dec
15) in a 17-page report, "Trapped and Mistreated: LTTE Abuses against
Civilians in the Wanni," detailed how the LTTE is brutally abusing the
Tamil population in the non-liberated Wanni regions.
"The LTTE claims to be fighting for the Tamil people,
but it is responsible for much of the suffering of civilians in the
Wanni," said Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch in a
communiqué‚ released. "As the LTTE loses ground to advancing government
forces, their treatment of the very people they say they are fighting
for is getting worse", HRW further stated in the press release urging
the LTTE terrorists to end its scourge of brutality.
"In the face of an ongoing government military
offensive, the LTTE has increased the pressure on the civilian
population under its control. Having long used a coercive pass system to
prevent civilians from leaving areas it controls, the LTTE has now
completely prohibited movement out of the Wanni, except for some medical
emergencies. By refusing to allow displaced persons to leave for
government-held territory, the group has severely restricted their
access to essential humanitarian relief. Only about a thousand people
have managed to flee the conflict zone since March 2008.
By refusing to allow people their basic rights to
freedom of movement, the LTTE has trapped hundreds of thousands of
civilians in a dangerous war zone," HRW further asserted.
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