"..If  ex-dictator Saddam Hussein could be hanged for committing crimes against humanity - killing 148 people in 1982 following an unsuccessful attempt to kill him and his entourage -  it is time president Mahinda Rajapakse is tried for war crimes for killing more than 3,000 Thamil civilians during 2006. .."

Sri Lanka: Sinhala Dominated Government Delivers Deadly and Bloody New Year 2007 Message

The Sinhala  dominated Sri Lankan government has delivered a deadly and bloody New Year 2007 message to the Thamil people by  killing 15 people, including 7 children aged 2, 6 and 11 years old children ( all of them  limbless and three of them headless)  at  Padahuthurai, Mannar.  Among those killed were a pregnant woman her child and husband. Many others were seriously injured in the senseless early dawn bombing.  It is feared that many more of the wounded would succumb to their injuries.  

Padahuthurai is a coastal hamlet   where 231 persons comprising 46 families lived in 35 huts.  Most of them were displaced civilians from Navanthurai and the surrounding coastal villages in Jaffna.

In Padahuthurai they were leading a simple life barely enough to survive by small scale fishing on a day to day basis in the shallow waters. 

Sri Lankan Kfir supersonic planes dropped at least 14 bombs each targeting two huts. The Bishop of Mannar Diocese, Rt.  Rev Rayappu Joseph, who visited Padahuthurai, has condemned the bombardment calling it “a crime against humanity."  He said “It is high time that the international community realizes the state of affairs here and sends a team of observers who can tell the truth to the world." 

The Sri Lankan military as usual has denied those killed are civilians and insists the target was an LTTE naval base. However, the Bishop of Mannar has described military’s claim as “barefaced lie.” 

According to the Bishop there were no LTTE bunkers nor could he see neither any sign of their camps nor any individual residence of possible LTTE cadre in or in the vicinity of the area.

Meanwhile, Margareta Wahlström, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator has called for warring parties to stop fighting and resume talks.  But she has singularly failed to condemn the indiscriminate and brutal aerial bombardment of innocent civilians by the Sri Lankan air force. 

This is not the first aerial or artillery attack by the Sri Lankan armed forces against civilian targets.  On August 14, 2006 a total of 56 students  and 5 employees died when Kfir planes dropped 14 bombs on Chencholai at Mullaitivu.  On November 09, 2006 45 Tamil civilians were killed in Vaharai in Batticaloa district by Sri Lankan artillery.  On December 09th and 10th a further 41 civilians died in artillery shelling. Scores were seriously injured. On November 02, Sri Lankan Air Force planes dropped twelve bombs in the Kilinochchi hospital surroundings completely fattening one permanent home, just 600 meters from the hospital, and killing five people who were inside at that time.

The international community is turning a blind eye to the genocidal attacks by the Sri Lankan government against the Thamil people. Co-Chairs comprising US, Japan, Norway and European Union continue to remain dumb and deaf. Not to be left behind India too is indulging in empty platitudes which provide no solace to the disillusioned and suffering people. 

Mahinda Rajapakse with Sinhala Sri Lankan Army

If  ex-dictator Saddam Hussein could be hanged for committing crimes against humanity - killing 148 people in 1982 following an unsuccessful attempt to kill him and his entourage -  it is time president Mahinda Rajapakse is tried for war crimes for killing more than 3,000 Thamil civilians during 2006. 

-TCWA,Canada