Civilian Tamils have been force driven and coralled in this strip of land,now called the "No Fire Zone" (NFZ),which according to official sources, also shelters the warring Tigers, among their civilian human shields.
Humanitarian concern is seen to be lacking ,if not wanting, as the ICRC (Red Cross) tries hard to contain this grave situation for some 90.000 to 120,000 innocent civilians,while the authorities have severely restricted access aid agencies and international observers. Hospitals are not existent,with makeshift medical centres taking care of the sick,wounded and the dying. Families and particularly children below the age of five are malnourished.
The Times,U.K.newspaper, calls it a "shameful siege," as it states compelling evidence has emerged within the past 48 hours,of Sri Lankan shelling even these health centres,with local reports of a minimum of 20 deaths daily. Confirmation by the Red Cross that one of its employees was killed in the "NFZ" whilst fetching water for his family is not contested. But neither the Red Cross nor the UN aid agencies wish to comment further,as protocol takes precedence over penury.
The Sri Lanka Army however has denied responsibility for the shelling of innocent civilians and blames the Tigers for killing any who escape the NFZ. It is admitted that the LTTE have been overwhelmingly routed and defeated with many of their cadre and their middle rank leaders "butchered in war," it has been no mean task to wean the so called "human shields" of civilians
in the trapped area due to the intensity of fighting.
The Tigers on the other hand,having lost much ,if not most of their territory,and their fighters,are in no mood to surrender,knowing that they are ambushed on the landside by divisions of the Sri Lanka army and by the Sri Lankan and possibly Indian navies, by sea.
What transcends this strategy for the LTTE is anybody's guess?
Having failed to obtain a ceasefire from the army, the Tigers probably believe world opinion may cave in on their side,sooner rather than later,to ensure a political settlement - a far fetched dream according to many analysts.
The Government is acting as if the war must go on,until it tracks down the last of the "Tiger terrorists." Victory for them is not won until this is accomplished. Laying down arms,as demanded by the government, without guarantees, is appeasement and not known in the Tiger vocabululary. It appears that their approach is to right the wrongs of thirtyeight years of injustice and to defend their soil to the last man.Both entrenched positions are hardly conceiveable for the West.
The scale of this humanitarian disaster which engulfs both scenarios is catastrophic.
The civilians on all sides of the divide are the victims of this inescapable war. They are resilient at the moment,as they are holed in their underground bunkers, under tarpaulin tents,without adequate food and shelter. But it only requires a spark to ignite their endurance.
What does the future hold for both parties to the conflict?
The Government has tactically called a halt for 48 hours for offensive operations in the NFZ in response to the UN appeal, but continues to maintain a defensive vigilence,during the Sinhala & Tamil New Year on 13/14 April 2009.
The Tigers too, according to reports, have found it expedient to take advantage of this halt and call for a permanent ceasefire. A series of battlefield victories by the forces have sapped their strength. It is possible that they may not restrain the entire civilian population in the NFZ, but tactically allow some movement of civilians into government controlled areas, to ease their burden. Could this halt end in a " humanitarian pause" in the war as requested by the UN, is not known.
The Government forces have prempted this and have already overcome the earth bunds and moved into the NFZ, with the 58th Division through the north flank and more troop reinforcements from the south, in a pincer grip in the hope of seeing an end to this overdue conquest, all the while maintaining they are in no hurry to end the war. It clearly appears a well orchestrated war of nerves on both sides.
The bonds of feeling of the Tamil Diaspora around the world,is intensifying on the Government, while covertly also exerting pressure on the Tigers to ease the plight of the civilians. Ordinary Tamil people feel the indignity, the anxiety and fear not only at the disproprionate strength of the Sri Lankan forces, but also at the overwhelming strength of their intensifying and unbearable emotions of what may happen to their bretheren. It is difficult to suggest a way or a while , of overcoming to get comfort with their feelings,to work through their fears or to prepare to accept the future.
Simultaneously, for the ordinary Sinhalese,the anger,frustration and the emotion of this long drawn out war with the enemy, the so called "Tiger terrorists," is making their hairs stand on end. Many had thought the war was no walk over, but felt it would be over soon, given the numbers of their sons and daughters committed to the effort.
There is all the more disenchantment on both sides, that the world has hardly been concerned with the injustice of war, or done much to help, other than comment on the sidelines. This fact has slowly,but succinctly dawned, that the world is far too occupied with its own hidden agendas,besides fire fighting in the troubled waters of Sri Lanka.
Will the unpredicted prevail in Sri Lanka in the end?
Victor Cherubim
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