See Shelling

A day after the United Nations used the phrase bloodbath to describe the weekends heavy shelling that killed hundreds of civilians trapped in Sri Lankas narrow war zone,almost 50 people were killed and approximately another 50 wounded when a mortar shell struck a makeshift hospital the only functioning one in the war zone. That the offensive against the LTTE be brought to its only logical conclusion that which sees the annihilation of the terrorists firepower for good is of paramount importance. But as the Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTE indulge in their blame game,the plight of civilians in the line of fire is slipping beyond recovery.

Using civilians as human shields has always been part of the LTTEs barbaric tactics and,even in the few mine-laden square kilometres it still holds,the rebels havent practised otherwise. They have also attacked and killed fleeing civilians. But the government hasnt appeared to be too concerned about the hapless thousands either in its eagerness to finish the war and the LTTE without stops. Rescuing these civilians therefore isnt a safe business at all,nor is offering them much needed medical attention. Under the circumstances,and as the weekends tragedy and Tuesdays shelling showed,the UNs warnings of a bloodbath increasingly ring true.

The Sri Lankan government has successfully brought the rebels to this unsalvageable situation and it is in the war-torn countrys interests to go the last mile. However,the bigger challenge will come once the fightings done that of reconciliation and reconstruction. The way to that post-bellum durable peace lies through the war zone in the north and the trapped civilians therein needing immediate government help. Hope will die soon if Sri Lankas leaders do not heed the international communitys calls,and persist in a callousness that mirrors or even exceeds their highhandedness with regard to journalists.