ICRC deplores attack on civilians

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 November 2006, 01:56 GMT]
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Thursday in a press release deplored the tragic loss of life and injury to civilians resulting from the Wednesday shelling of the densely populated area of Kathiraveli, a coastal hamlet north of Vaharai, where several thousand internally displaced people had sought shelter.

The press release further said:

"An ICRC convoy of six ambulances, a bus, a truck and three cars reached Vaharai hospital to which the dead and wounded had been brought, and transferred 69 urgent cases to Valaichchenai hospital, a better equipped facility in the government controlled area. A second ICRC convoy returned to the area today to deliver aid to civilians there.

With fighting continuing between the Sri Lankan security forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the eastern district of Batticaloa, the ICRC reminds the parties to the conflict of their obligation to comply with international humanitarian law. In particular, it urgently call on the parties to ensure that the civilian population is respected and protected in all circumstances, complying with the principle of distinction between civilian and military targets and thus avoiding indiscriminate attacks. They must also take feasible precautions to protect civilians under their control against the effects of attacks by the other side. Finally, the ICRC urges the parties to respect the freedom of movement of internally displaced people.

The ICRC has been active in Sri Lanka since 1989, in particular in the north-east of the country, acting as a neutral intermediary, protecting and assisting the civilian population, visiting detainees, restoring contact between members of separated families and promoting international humanitarian law, the press release said.

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