Rajiva Wijesinha

“ But it is also counter-productive, in the common aim of the civilized world to combat terror whilst preserving human values, that there is hardly any recognition of the tremendous care the Sri Lankan armed forces have evinced about their own citizens whilst fighting against terror. ”

“ In all cases the airforce maintains that targets were carefully chosen, and the paucity of damage suggests that what was targeted was certainly not ordinary civilian settlements. This record compares very favourably with that of any other nation engaged in combating terrorism. Failure to recognize this on the part of organizations with their own agendas is understandable, but it is extremely regrettable that even governments that should know better repeat unfair allegations. ”

“ Governmental involvement of any sort in such incidents would be totally unacceptable, but it should be noted that, with regard to the first incident involving children the Jaffna University Teachers for Human Rights, which has never hesitated to be critical of the government or the LTTE, attributed the action to civilians in the area who were opposed to the LTTE. Even if they had been equipped by military forces, as was suggested, the military cannot be held responsible for inappropriate or inaccurate targeting. ”

“ Apart from the incidents noted above, which reduce to just three of allegations of civilian deaths, there are seven allegations of aerial bombing leading to civilians being injured, and eight allegations of aerial bombing doing damage to civilian settlements though without injuries or deaths. ”