14th batch of patients and civilians trapped in Mullaithivu
evacuated with the Naval assistance
The fourteenth batch of 488 patients and civilians was
evacuated on board "MV Green Ocean" on the 26th March 2009. The
evacuation of patients and civilians trapped in LTTE Clutches in the
un-cleared areas in Mullaithivu is being carried out under the ICRC
flag. Sri Lanka Navy is providing safe passage for evacuees on
humanitarian grounds.
The patients among the evacuees, upon disembarkation
at Pulmuadai , were provided with emergency medical treatment by Naval
doctors and were rushed to the Field hospital in Pulmudai and the
General hospital in Padaviya by the naval personnel for further
treatment. Elaborate arrangements have been made to treat the sick and
the wounded evacuees once they reach cleared areas. Hospitals have been
equipped with adequate stocks of essential drugs and specialist medical
personnel are assigned to treat the sick and the wounded as they are
transferred to hospitals.
The fourteenth batch consisted of 157 adult males, 216
adult females and 115 children in total. Among them were 100 male and 63
female patients needing medical treatment. The evacuees had been
languishing in pain and fear due to the LTTE's adamant stance to hold
all civilians captive in the un-cleared areas as human shields despite
the repeated appeals by the International Community to free all
civilians to arrive in safe areas immediately.
The Navy, as part of its humanitarian operations, has
put in place a number of comprehensive evacuation measures to facilitate
the evacuation process. Naval personnel and vessels along with stand-by
rescue and medical teams are on special deployment in the North-eastern
seas for assisting Tamil civilians fleeing from LTTE clutches.
Courtesy: SL Navy |
