The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to forward by way of this statement, a report sent to President Rajapaksa by the Bishop of Mannar on the killing of innocent civilians in an aerial bombardment carried out by the Sri Lankan Air Force.
Please find a copy of my report to the H.E.President on the brutal carnage of civilians in Mannar.
Bishop of Mannar.
02.01.2007
His Excellency Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse
President of the Social Republic of Sri Lanka,
Colombo.
Your Excellency,
Re: Aerial bombing that took place , in the un-cleared area of the District of Mannar at 9.35 am Today the 02nd of January, 2007.
Three Kefir bombers aided by an aircraft that is said to be supplying information to them, had been bombing the above small settlement of displaced people consisting of 35 families from Navanthurai, Jaffna. This aerial bombing took place today the 2nd of January, 2007 at 9.35 in the morning. I saw 12 spots where the bombs had struck and two of these bombs remain unexploded. The area of this attack is just within a radius of 100 meters close to the sea shores. This settlement consisted of 35 Catholic families who were all very poor fisher-folk. There is a Catholic church on this very spot in clear sight. They were living in small cadjan sheds. The Parish priest of this locality in the person of Fr. P. Arulnathan OMI and most of the priests and religious working in this area are very familiar with this location, the people and their day to day life.
I visited this very spot today at 12.45 Noon and the ICRC came there fifteen minutes later. Tomorrow morning i.e. on the third of January 2007, the SLMM is expected to visit this locality. After listening to the people and to the priests and religious working in the area and from my personal inspection, I wish to convey to you that there were no LTTE bunkers nor could we see any sign of their camps nor any individual residence of possible LTTE cadre in or in the vicinity of this area. This attack is clearly on a civilian target which, as far as I had witnessed, has blown to pieces 13 innocent civilians on the very dawn of the New Year 2007. It is feared that many more of the wounded would succumb to their injuries.
I, in the presence of the Catholic priest of this area saw eight civilian bodies of the above tragedy at the Pallamadhu hospital out of whom three were children of 2, 6 & 11 years old. They were all limbless and three of them headless. The parish Priest of this area had seen five bodies of civilians known to him who succumbed to death at Mulankavil hospital, this morning. I was told by the Doctor of the Pallamadhu hospital that more than 35 wounded people had been dispatched to Mulankavil hospital and from there, nearly 25 serious cases had been sent to Kilinochchi hospital most of whom are, I was told children and women. A good number of these may not survive, I was told by a doctor. There were no LTTE killed in this incident except one who was on leave and had come in civil, minutes before the attack to this place to pay New Year visit to his mother-in-law, as I came to know from my inquires.
Yesterday, we were very happy to listen to your New Year message expressing hopes of a return of peace to our dear motherland, and this irresponsible attack of the State Air Forces, on the innocent civilians at the very dawn of the New Year is so frustrating indeed. I had been pleading with your Excellency and with the LTTE to keep Mannar District free from all violence and war-activities as a sign that our country can be liberated from the deadly path of war and violence. Yet, this sad incident had taken place here and adding insult to injury, is the Government military propaganda that only LTTE were targeted and killed in big numbers in this incident. As it is my duty to keep your Excellency informed of the truth, I do so, also because of my conviction that truth coupled with justice alone, can give birth to true peace.
Thanking you for the needed action taken in this regard.
Sgd Rayappu Joseph
Bishop of Mannar.
