SOUTH ASIA - House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats

2336and Jaffna until the conflict is over. The LTTE also recruits children (see Section6.c.).g. Use of Excessive Force and Violations of Humanitarian Law in Internal Conflicts.—Hostilitiesbetween the Government and the LTTE continued throughout theyear. After establishing positions on the Jaffna peninsula in January, the LTTE inMarch began a sustained campaign to recapture Jaffna. On April 22, the LTTE captureda large base at Elephant Pass, and in the following weeks, forced the armedforces to retreat to Jaffna. By late May, the front lines had stabilized just east ofJaffna in the Chavacachcheri area. From June through August, there were minorskirmishes, with the armed forces carrying out counterattacks from Septemberthrough year’s end that resulted in high casualties on both sides. More than 2,000combatants and more than 100 civilians died during the year in incidents relatedto the conflict.At year’s end, approximately 490,000 persons were displaced by the conflict. Over340,000 persons, principally in the Vanni region, remain displaced by the past severalyears of fighting; during the year the battles near Jaffna displaced an additional150,000.The Government in the past often publicized aspects of its planned operations toallow civilians time to vacate the probable areas to be affected. However, the armedforces were more secretive during the year, and it did not give public warnings beforethe commencement of its advances. Despite the use of unmanned aerial vehiclesto assess targets before attacks, bombings and artillery fire against LTTE installationshave killed civilians working at those installations or living nearby. More than100 civilians were killed in the LTTE’s advance on Jaffna in April and May, including6 who died at Pallaikudu in May when the armed forces conducted an aerialbombing of an LTTE boat dock. More than a dozen persons were killed by the airforce in bombings against Mullaitivu during the year. On April 19, artillery shellskilled 15 and wounded 24 at a home for the elderly in Kaithady during a clash betweenthe LTTE and the army. It was not clear which side was responsible. On November23, 2 shells thought to be fired by the LTTE landed near a school in Muttur,near Trincomalee, killing 2 students and wounding 10 more. During the year, dozensof civilians were wounded in contested areas of the north and east in clashesbetween the armed forces and the LTTE.On May 17, 23 people were killed and dozens were injured when a bomb explodedat a Buddhist temple in Batticaloa in the east, where people were gathered to celebratethe Buddhist festival of Vesak (see Section 1.a.). The bomb, concealed in afreezer box on a bicycle, exploded after the cyclist was stopped by two policemenand a soldier; the cyclist ran away. After the bomb exploded, security forces openedfire, killing four children and injuring eight more. Although the Government hasblamed the LTTE publicly for this bombing, no one officially claimed responsibility,and at year’s end, no investigation had been conducted. Furthermore the Governmenthas not commented on the additional deaths and injuries caused by the securityforces opening fire.The security forces use aerial observation for selecting targets for shelling andbombing. They also attempt to locate the source of incoming mortar fire before responding;however, inaccurate mortar and artillery fire killed civilians. In September1999, the air force dropped 3 bombs on a village near Puthukudiyiruppu inthe Vanni, killing 22 persons (see Section 1.a.). Human rights observers, includingthe ICRC and AI, alleged that those killed were civilians. Government officials acknowledgedthat 22 men, women, and children were killed by the air force bomb;however, they alleged that the air force targeted an LTTE training camp, and atfirst they did not admit the possibility that civilians were killed in error. The Governmentlater acknowledged quietly that the attack was an accident. During theyear, the Government held an investigation and authorized compensation for thevictim’s families, admitting that the site had been bombed ‘‘in error.’’ However, theGovernment did not admit formally to having killed civilians.The security forces continued to receive instruction in international humanitarianlaw as part of their training courses (see Section 4). According to the military, thearmy also established human rights cells in each division, and it established ahuman rights office in each brigade and battalion. The armed forces operate underwritten rules of engagement that severely restrict the shelling, bombardment, orother use of firepower against civilian-occupied areas such as villages.The Government continued to provide food relief, through the Commissioner Generalfor Essential Services (CGES) and the Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies(MCPS), to displaced and other needy citizens, including those in areas controlledby the LTTE. Food rations were delivered by the Government to the Vanni areathrough a checkpoint that is controlled on one side by the security forces and onVerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:46 Sep 20, 2001 Jkt 071555 PO 00000 Frm 00180 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6621 F:\WORK\COUNTRYR\S71555\71555.036 HINTREL1 PsN: HINTREL1