"Sri Lanka engaged in a legitimate military and humanitarian operation"

(March 24, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) There is no genocidal situation in Sri Lanka. The Government of Sri Lanka is engaged in a legitimate military and humanitarian operation, aimed at liberating its own people from LTTE terrorists said Deputy Solicitor-General Yasantha Kodagoda at the council session during its ongoing session yesterday.

Speaking at the session Mr. Kodagoda said that the situation in Sri Lanka “as clearly observed by the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator on Humanitarian Affairs Sir John Holmes, is an exceptional one.”

Claiming the current situation in the war zone, he also said “this terrorist organization is abusing humanitarian gestures of the Government of Sri Lanka. It is now beyond proof that the LTTE has positioned themselves inside the ‘No Fire Zone’ declared and observed by the security forces of the Government of Sri Lanka.

I have visual proof, Mr. President, which I am prepared to share with any interested delegate acting in good faith, showing clearly how the LTTE has positioned military hardware such as artillery guns inside the ‘No Fire Zone’ and is attacking the security forces who are fast approaching the limited and shrinking territory which the LTTE is now illegally dominating.”

“I am ready to share with interested delegates video recorded testimony of such internally displaced people, who claim that they were fired at by LTTE cadres when they escaped against the wishes of the LTTE. Most unfortunately, some of those who attempted to escape had been fired at and killed by the LTTE,” he said.

To claim that the situation in Sri Lanka is genocidal in nature is a total distortion of the actual ground situation and a complete falsehood.

However, it is indeed very clear, as to why the LTTE and its lobby groups are attempting to distort the actual ground situation and try to mislead the United Nations Human Rights Council and the international community, Mr. Kodagoda added.

-Sri Lanka Guardian