ஏன் இனப்படுகொலை அல்ல?

(Jeyabalan Thambirajah)

எதிரி இராணுவமாகப் பார்க்கப்பட்டு யுத்த முரசு கொட்டி போர் தொடுத்த இலங்கை இராணுவம் எமது மக்களை படுகொலை செய்துள்ளது சித்திரவதை செய்துள்ளது பாலியல் வல்லுறவிற்கு உட்படுத்தியது என்னை அதிர்ச்சிக்கு உள்ளாக்கவில்லை. உலகம் முழுவதும் எதிரி இராணுவம் இவ்வாறு தான் உள்ளது. ஆனால் யாருக்காக துப்பாக்கி து}க்கினார்களோ அவர்களுக்கு எதிராகவே அந்த துப்பாக்கியைத் திருப்பியது படுமோசமான குற்றம். எதிரியின் குற்றங்களிலும் இது மோசமானது. அதனால் தான் இதனை வன்னிப் படுகொலையை இனப்படுகொலை என என்னால் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள முடியவில்லை.

Report of the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL)* **

Control of movement
1161. OISL’s findings indicate that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the LTTE had a clear high level policy of controlling the movement of civilians in and out of the Vanni for years through a pass system, thereby unlawfully interfering with their liberty of movement. The information also shows that the policy hardened from January 2009, and that noone was to be allowed to leave the LTTE area. Although the specific instructions as to how LTTE cadres should prevent anyone from leaving needs to be clarified, the information gathered indicates that a number of individuals, including several children, were shot dead, injured or beaten by LTTE cadres as they tried to leave, in contravention of their right to life and physical integrity. These acts may amount to direct attacks on civilians not taking direct part in hostilities, in violation of international humanitarian law. If established before a court of law, and depending on the circumstances, such conduct may amount to a war crime.

1162. Further investigation is required of the nature, scale and frequency of incidents where the LTTE shot directly at civilians as they tried to escape to ascertain if such shootings were part of an official LTTE policy to prevent civilians from leaving. Similarly, further investigation is needed to determine what measures, if any were taken by the LTTE leadership to prevent and/or punish the cadres involved.

1163. By compelling civilians to remain within the area of active hostilities and by threatening and intimidating civilians in an attempt to discourage them from trying to leave, the LTTE violated its obligation under international humanitarian law to take all feasible measures to protect the civilian population under its control against the effects of attacks from the security forces. Information obtained by OISL indicates that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the LTTE, knew or had reasons to know that the security forces would target it, yet, despite this knowledge, it did not take measures to remove civilians from the vicinity of military objectives, nor did it warn the civilians, and in fact did the opposite by constraining the movement of civilians. Civilians were in effect forced to stay in an area that was under almost constant attack by the SLA, where the lack of adequate physical protection structures heightened their vulnerability to attacks. As such, there appears to be reasonable grounds to believe that, in these circumstances, the LTTE exposed the civilian population to military operations, in particular shelling and gunfire from the military.

1164. OISL notes that the constraints on the movement of civilians in the Vanni imposed by the LTTE also had the effect of spreading fear among the population. Witnesses told OISL that they continue to suffer from the psychological trauma of having been restricted in their movement while exposed to artillery strikes and gunfire.