LTTE killing fleeing civilians

by Shanika SRIYANANDA

[email protected]
 

People are yearning to escape to government controlled areas but the LTTE have used their full strength to prevent them fleeing.that the LTTE leader has given instructions to the area leaders to destroy any group of people who try to oppose his orders and try to flee.

Fleeing civilians as they try to reach government controlled territory

A group of fleeing civilians share a meal

While the government is drawing up more plans to welcome civilians fleeing terror held areas, and mapping out safe corridors for them to get easy accesses, the LTTE, according to informed sources, has come hard on the civilians by employing cadres to guard these routes and also imposing severe punishments, to prevent expected mass exodus of civilians from non-liberated areas.

Sources close to Wanni revealed that the LTTE in their latest series of punishments have forcibly deployed all civilians who tried to flee their territories, in the battle front. With no combat training or weapon handling, these innocent civilians, the young and old- are left in front lines to die. "Those who are caughtup while fleeing or planning will be trucked to front lines and just dropped in front lines as a punishment.

Then they will display their dead bodies to other villagers as a punishment for fleeing non-liberated areas and for disregarding the orders of the LTTE", sources said.

They said that the LTTE leader has given instructions to the area leaders to destroy any group of people who try to oppose his orders and try to flee.

Now people, who are tight lipped, are in fear to discuss their grievances even with their family members.Last week, two bus loads of civilians were trying to cross the government controlled areas but the LTTE cadres warned them and threatened to kill the whole group.

In another strategy, the LTTE has started abducting family members of those carders who try to abandon the outfit. While the rule - a member from each family to the outfit - remains, the LTTE has ordered to recruit forcibly another despite their age, if any cadre abandons the LTTE. "Lots of older people have been recruited forcibly to guard all the possible routes and they are armed with wooden and iron poles and even fire arms. They were asked to kill all those trying to cross the borders", these sources said.

The LTTE has also started cordon search for those who are physically fit to be sent to the battle front as their manpower is getting thin daily due to heavy offensives launched towards Wanni from different fronts by the security forces.However, the LTTE supporters in Killinochchi, who enjoyed perks under the LTTE administration, have now been used to motivate civilians to remain in their territory saying that the LTTE is marching forward defeating the Sri Lankan security forces. "These groups of people, now holding top posts under the LTTE administration have been assigned to create a mentality among the fear stricken villagers. The displacement is high and people are suffering greatly. But the LTTE does not want to allow them to cross to the government controlled areas", they said.

According to sources, the LTTE has started this propaganda after the government air-dropped thousands of leaflets printed in Tamil for the civilians stating that the security forces would capture Killinochchi soon and requesting people to reach government controlled areas so as to save their lives as the LTTE is facing a huge defeat. To counter the government leaflet campaign the LTTE has also distributed leaflets among civilians in non-liberated areas asking them to remain in Wanni and not to surrender to the Security Forces.

The sources added that the people are yearning to escape to government controlled areas but the LTTE has used their full strength to prevent them fleeing. "Especially people in Mullaithiu and West of Killinochchi, but the A9 road is heavily guarded and a single civilian is not allowed to cross the route", they said.

As people are terribly scared of LTTE's punishments, they are waiting for the security forces to free them from the LTTE, they added.Informed sources said that if the government could block the A9 from another point more people would flee bearing the risk. "It is over 40 kilometres from Killinochchi to Vavuniya. It is not an easy task as the LTTE has used so many traps and cadres to guard this route. If it is captured by the Security Forces to some extent it will be a great support for people to cross into the government controlled areas", they pointed out.

The sources revealed that lots of small children are undergoing immense difficulties and the LTTE is taking these IDP families from one area to another moving forward to the Western side of Killinochchi.

According to Defence Ministry sources, the LTTE has set up new torture camps and prisons underground to punish civilians crossing their areas.

"More inhuman acts are expected as the military offensives are nearing to capture Killinochchi. But the LTTE will not prevent mass exodus of civilians leaving Wanni as the LTTE is becoming more rigid in their tactics to retain civilians", they added.

Meanwhile, the Government which announced safe routes for civilians, announced that the Government is ready with a well designed plan to provide them facilities and shelter. The government also requested the civilians and IDPs in Killinochchi and Mullaitivu to move from the South and to reach the government controlled areas through Omanthai exit.

According to Ministry of Human Rights and Disaster Management logistics and other facilities including shelter and food and non food items have already been sent to Vavuniya to welcome these people.The Security Forces Commander of Wanni Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya said that though the background is set with all the necessary facilities for the civilians fleeing Wanni, they are not still crossing in numbers. "This indicates that the LTTE is using its full strength to prevent people fleeing Wanni", he said.

The London based Amnesty International (AI) has accused the LTTE of recruiting under-aged children among the displaced families to fill the shortage of manpower. The AI, in its reports, has stated that the LTTE prevents people reaching safe areas in the Government controlled areas.