MULLAITTIVU: THE biggest-ever “Rescue Operation in the World” in the north of Sri Lanka was fast gathering momentum, as thousands of irate, trapped and disgusted Tamil civilians in the PUTHUMATHALAN “No Fie Zone” (NFZ) were anxiously trudging miles to reach government-held areas in PUTHUKUDIRIPPU as the dusk fell on Monday (20).
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a couple of hours ago made a surprise visit to the Sri Lanka Air Force Headquarters Operations Room and personally monitored the exodus of those fleeing civilians with the help of aerial footages, being taken then and there over the skies in PUTHUKUDIRIPPU, giving a clear picture how an LTTE artillery vehicle was firing from the NFZ (See video). A few hours later, the same ground realities were viewed by COLOMBO-based diplomats who have been invited there by Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.
President Rajapaksa instructed Commissioner for Essential Services Mr. S.B Divarathna to immediately send more and more food and medicine stocks for the use of those civilians in affected PUTHUKUDIRIPPU areas. He also earlier on the day (20) appealed to the LTTE leader PRABHAKARAN to surrender forthwith along with his remaining cadres or perish eating cyanide capsules.
Those fleeing civilians after vacating the west of PUTHUMATHALAN as well as other areas in the NFZ were seen reaching troop-held areas through different terrains and routes. Some of them trudged past in neck-deep waters in the PUTHUKUDIRIPPU lagoon while others overcame LTTE resistance and jumped over LTTE earth bunds and other booby traps, laid on their way. In the meantime, Tiger suicide bombers blew themselves up at about 7.30 am on Monday (20), killing seventeen Tamil escapees on the spot. Over forty badly injured civilians were evacuated by Army troops and subsequently brought to hospitals in cleared areas. Several thousands managed to reach the south of CHALAI on a flotilla of about fifty-five fishing crafts during Monday (20) where they were received by the Navy. (See day’s separate Situation Reports)
By Monday (20) evening over seventy-five injured children in the LTTE fire, one hundred and twenty-two men and fifty-nine civilians sustained injuries in Monday (20) morning LTTE suicide explosions are now receiving treatment in VAVUNIYA and ANURADHAPURA hospitals after they were airlifted by Air Force helicopters from PUTHUKUDIRIPPU. Condition of twenty of those injured children and women is reportedly critical, according to hospital sources.
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Commander of the Army Lt General Sarath Fonseka, Navy and Air Force Commanders are reportedly in touch with this humanitarian rescue operation round the clock after this last leg of this LTTE’s bloody war for separation was triggered Sunday (19) night.
Peace loving civilians of all ethnicities island-wide took to streets and lit fire-crackers as the news on the exodus of Tamil civilians in their thousands broke by Sri Lankan media.
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