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Over a lakh displaced in Batticaloa

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Refugee ranks swelling because of Army-LTTE fighting; humanitarian crisis looms

COLOMBO: Over 1 lakh people are estimated displaced in Batticaloa district in the east because of the recent fighting between the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

According to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), a consortium of international and national NGOs chaired by the United Nations Resident Commissioner, the enveloping humanitarian crisis in Batticaloa is alarming.

"Large numbers of people are seeking shelter and protection away from the shelling. Batticaloa district already had over 80,000 internally displaced, the highest number in the country and this new wave has now pushed the figure to well over 100,000 people, creating further pressure on an already difficult situation that will require more resources and capacity from all actors," the IASC said in a statement here.

The consortium said it is also worried about the safety of civilians, as reports indicate that shelling is occurring in highly populated areas.

"The IASC urges both parties to find immediate means to ensure the protection of civilians in these areas. We call on all parties to comply with 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," it said.

LTTE charge

The LTTE alleged that the Webber stadium, the site which hit the headlines after the Tigers targeted diplomats on February 27, was one of the four artillery positions from which the Army fired at civilian settlements under its control in Batticaloa creating more than 100,000 refuges over the last few days.

Threat to school

It claimed that within 200 metres of this artillery position are two of the biggest educational institutions in Batticaloa, Vincent Girls High School, and Batticaloa Central College. The District Secretariat, Post Office and the Public library are all also within its range.

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