5TH LEAD

Child killed, Mullaiththeevu GA wounded in SLA shelling

[TamilNet, Friday, 08 August 2008, 05:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched an indiscriminate artillery barrage in the early hours of Friday. Official residences of Mullaiththeevu District Secretary (Government Agent) and the doctors of Mullaiththeevu hospital, located inside the hospital premises were hit by the shelling. The artillery barrage killed an 18-month-old baby and caused injuries to 16 civilians, including the GA, Ms. Imelda Sukumar, who was at her official residence and Medical Superintendent Dr. V. Shanmugarajah's wife, hospital officials told TamilNet. Meanwhile, the Director of LTTE's Peace Secretariat S. Puleedevan, blamed the Sri Lankan government for repeatedly violating the Geneva Conventions during its offensive.



Mr. Puleedevan, when contacted by TamilNet, condemned the Sri Lankan government for violating the Conventions by 'deliberate and direct targeting' of civilian hospital premises and the residences of its own officials who were also responsible for the humanitarian assistance and monitoring in the district.

According to medical officials in the area, the injured government agent and others were admitted to Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital. Mrs. Sukumar is out of danger.

One child and four females wounded in SLA shelling in Mullaiththeevu were transferred to Vavuniyaa hospital around 5:00 p.m. on Friday.

Many civilians were seen moving from the area after the SLA barrage, which was launched from Ma'nalaa'ru (Weli Oya) area where the SLA on Thursday attempted to advance on five fronts.

The wounded were identified as Ms. Shanmuagarajah Renuka, 36, Mullaiththeevu hospital quarters, Sathiya, 40, Mullaiththeevu, Ms. Vijayakanth Premila, 33, Tha'n'neeroottu, Mu'l'liyava'lai, Ms. T. Thanaladchumi, 57, Neeraavippiddi, Mu'l'liyava'lai, Ms. Kanmani, 50, Neeraavippiddi, Mu'l'liyava'lai, Mrs Kathiravelu Sivarajakumari, 64, Tha'n'neeroottu, Mu'l'liyava'lai, Ms. Subramaniam Suventhilatha, 23, Uduppukku'lam, A'lampil, Mast. Vijayakanth Bekan, 02, Tha'n'neeroottu, Mu'l'liyava'lai, Miss. Vijayakanth, Arelil, 05, Tha'n'neeroottu, Mu'l'liyava'lai, Ms. Nadarasa Veeramma, 52, Kumaarapuram, Mu'l'liyava'lai, Ms. Vinasithamby Rukmani, 72, Kumaarapuram, Mu'l'liyava'lai, Perumal Nadarasa, 56, Kumaarapuram, Mu'l'liyava'lai, Ms. Aiyan Rasakumari, 36, Neeraavippiddi, Mu'l'liyava'lai, Miss. Aiyan Sangeetha, 10, Neeraavippiddi, Mu'l'liyava'lai, Velautham Ravichandran, 40, Kumaarapuram, Mu'l'liyava'lai and R. Loganathan, 50, Neeraavippiddi, Mu'l'liyava'lai.

More than six shells fell and exploded inside the hospital area.

More than 30 shells launched by SLA from Ma'nalaa'ru area had also totally destructed more the 11 houses in these civilian settlements in Mullaiththeevu district.

One of the injured women had lost her left arm in the explosion.










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