IndianDefenceReview 21 April, 2011
Sympathy grows for LTTE internationally
A United Nations report leaked recently, estimates thousands of civilians were killed during the fighting between Sri Lankan forces and the LTTE - known as the Tamil Tigers in 2009.
The document cites "credible allegations" that government forces deliberately shelled civilians and repeatedly targeted hospitals. If proven, the allegations amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians were trapped in the fighting and it's estimated that between 20,000 to 40,000 were killed.
The Tamil Tigers are also heavily criticised by the three member panel, and stand accused of forcing civilians to remain in the conflict zone and using them as hostages and human shields.
The UN is also criticised in the report for failing "to take actions that might have protected civilians." The panel says casualty figures collected by the UN should have been made public at that time.
Releasing the figures "would have strengthened the call for the protection of civilians while those events ...were unfolding" the panel concludes.
But conditions for aid agencies and UN officials on the ground were difficult.
