THE UNITED NATIONS CONDEMNS
THE TWO BUS BOMBS IN SRI LANKA THAT DELIBERATELY TARGETTED CIVILIANS
By Walter Jayawardhana
The United Nations said in a statement that that they condemned the
deliberate targeting of civilians in two bus bomb explosions in Sri
Lanka that killed over twenty people and maimed and injured scores
of others.
The statement said the world body is calling upon the protection
of all civilians but did not name the culprits of the bombs but the
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who are also known as
the Tamil Tigers according to forensic experts are the only group
capable of putting together such plastic explosive bombs in the island.
They are fighting for a mono-ethnic separate state in the country.
The two bus bombs were exploded recently at Nittambuwa in Western
Province and at Peraliya in Southern Province in Sri Lanka.
The statement in full is as follows:
The United Nations condemns the deliberate targeting of civilians
and deplores the latest incidents involving two civilian buses which
resulted in the deaths of over 20 innocent civilians with dozens maimed
and injured.
The United Nations calls for the protection of all civilians
throughout the island.
The situation in Vaharai in the east is grave and demands an
urgent response. According to Government estimates, 15,000 people
are isolated without access to food or basic supplies as stocks are
decimated. Since the 29 November when the last convoy of humanitarian
supplies were allowed in, there has been no access to Vaharai for
humanitarian agencies.
"We stand ready to assist those still trapped in Vaharai. These
persons are the most vulnerable of the vulnerable. We must always
recall that it is the most weak who remain behind - the elderly, the
sick and the disabled. They are still without access to food, emergency
medical services, and shelter, and continue to be caught in the middle
of relentless fighting," says Amin Awad, Acting Resident and
Humanitarian Coordinator.
The United Nations has already mounted an extensive operation
supporting the government through local authorities and partner agencies
to protect and assist with the basic humanitarian needs of over 70,000
individuals across the district of Batticaloa.
The United Nations further reminds both parties of their obligations
under International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, as expressed
in the Security Council Resolutions on the Protection of Civilians
and the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement.