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May 12 in Mullivaikkal
- 12 mei
- 2 minuten om te lezen
On May 12, reports indicated continued military advances, repeated attacks on medical facilities, worsening conditions in detention camps, and increasing international diplomatic concern over civilian protection.
Elements of the Sri Lankan Army’s 58 Division were reported to have entered the newly designated civilian safe zone, while the area continued to come under sustained attack. The movement into the No Fire Zone marked a further escalation of military operations in areas where large numbers of civilians were concentrated.
Medical facilities were again struck by artillery fire. A hospital in Mullivaikkal East was reportedly hit, resulting in the deaths of at least 47 people, including the district health administrator, medical volunteers, a nurse, and patients. The OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) documented witness accounts describing unusual burn injuries among victims, with descriptions of bodies showing severe blackening consistent with intense heat exposure.
Humanitarian conditions in detention settings also deteriorated. Reports from Menik Farm indicated that dozens of elderly internally displaced persons died due to illness and starvation, with conditions in the camp contributing to worsening health outcomes.
At the international level, diplomatic discussions intensified. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband, after which a joint statement expressed “profound concern” over the humanitarian crisis in northern Sri Lanka. The statement highlighted alarm over large-scale civilian casualties in areas designated as safe zones and called for urgent international attention.
Political representatives of the Tamil population also raised urgent warnings. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) reported that over 150,000 civilians were believed to be trapped, with more than 3,000 killed in the previous three days alone. TNA leader R. Sampanthan described the situation as “genocide taking place in Vanni” and urged immediate international action beyond statements of condemnation, calling for effective intervention to stop civilian killings.
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