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Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement on Friday, May 8, that Sri Lankan armed forces “have repeatedly struck hospitals in the northern Vanni region in indiscriminate artillery and aerial attacks”, warning that commanders responsible for such attacks may be prosecuted for war crimes.
"While doctors and nurses struggle to save lives in overcrowded and underequipped facilities, Sri Lankan army attacks have hit one hospital after another," said Brad Adams,
"Repeated Sri Lankan artillery attacks striking known hospitals is evidence of war crimes," said
"The government cannot hide behind LTTE atrocities to justify their own unlawful acts."
HRW again called for the situation in
One of the deadliest took place on Saturday, May 2, when artillery shells struck Mullivaaykkaal hospital in the government-declared "No Fire Zone," killing 68 persons and wounding 87.
Two artillery shells fired by the
The attack took place, after the Sri Lankan military was provided with the exact coordinates of the hospital premises three days back through the ICRC, and as Sri Lanka Air Force Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was monitoring the hospital area.
The massacre is calculated to coerce the civilians said a rescue worker citing leaflets air dropped the previous day with Mahinda Rajapakse's message asking civilians to come to the SLA side.
A female volunteer doctor was killed on the spot. Three medical staff sustained injuries, one of them paralysed.
The main Out Patients Department of the makeshift hospital was attacked at 9:00 a.m. when the hospital was very busy with outpatients. There were more than 400 wounded patients accommodated in and around the building.
The second attack came as the medical staff and volunteers were engaged in clearing the attacked area of the hospital.
HRW said it had documented at least 30 artillery and air attacks on permanent and makeshift hospitals in the combat area since December 2008.
“Patients, medical staff, aid workers, and other witnesses have provided Human Rights Watch with information about at least 30 attacks on permanent and makeshift hospitals in the combat area since December 2008.”, the statement said
“Witness accounts suggest that in some cases the Sri Lankan military attacks may have been targeted at LTTE forces present in the vicinity of the hospitals, yet in other cases witnesses said there were no LTTE forces anywhere near the hospitals.”
“Hospitals, whether permanent or temporary, are specially protected under international humanitarian law. Like other civilian structures, they may not be targeted. Under the Geneva Conventions, hospitals remain protected unless they are "used to commit hostile acts" that are outside their humanitarian function. Even then, they are only subject to attack after a warning has been given setting a reasonable time limit, and after such warning has gone unheeded. The presence of LTTE medical workers or injured combatants does not affect the civilian character of medical facilities.”, the statement further said
“Since mid-February, the International Committee of the Red Cross has evacuated more than 13,000 wounded and their caregivers from the war zone by sea. Permanent and makeshift hospitals within LTTE-controlled territory continue to receive hundreds of patients daily. Many arrive wounded from the fighting, while others are sick due to inadequate sanitation, and acute shortages of food and clean water.”, the statement said.
