January 2008 Civilian Toll in the NorthEast

by the LTTE Peace Secretariat, January 5, 2008

49 Tamil civilians were killed and another eighteen civilians were disappeared by the Sri Lanka government operated forces in the Tamil homeland in the month of January 2008.

19 civilians in Mannar, 11 civilians in Jaffna, 11 civilians in Batticaloa, 4 civilians in Klinochchi, 2 civilians in Amparai, and another 2 civilians from Vavuniya and Trincomalee were killed by the GoSL operated forces within this month. Among the 18 disappeared, nine civilians are from Jaffna and six are from Mannar.

This report includes the ‘Thadchanamaruthamdu massacre’ in which 18 civilians including 12 children were killed in a claymore attack by the Sri Lankan military Deep Penetration Unit, just a few meters from the famous Madhu church in Mannar.

Also included in this report are, the killing of Panchadcharam Kunenthiran, a former head of Jaffna University student union and an external student in the University, the killing of three siblings by paramilitary members inside their house, and the killing of four civilians in a cycle bomb attack by the paramilitary in Thirunelvely, Jaffna.

Also during this month, four civilians were killed in indiscriminate shelling and aerial bombing by the Sri Lanka government forces in Kilinochchi.

Among the reports on 18 disappearances, abduction from Thalikkulam IDPs camp and the ongoing ‘White Van’ abduction by GoSL operated forces are highlighted.

The full report in PDF can be downloaded here.

Details of civilian casualties in the NE during the CFA are available here.

Tamil c ivilian casualties since independence are available here.