Lankan Minister: Tamils singled out for scrutiny in Colombo; UN calls for establish safe corridors for vulnerable civilians; Military: 19 dead bodies of soldiers handed over by LTTE through ICRC
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    • Sri Lanka’s defence spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella acknowledged that Tamils were singled out for scrutiny in Colombo, because rebels routinely hide among the capital's large Tamil community. He added that the policy was for the good of the Tamil community1. However, reports noted that a section of the Tamils were expressing apprehensions as the government was also targeting innocent people. Some human rights activists also accused the government of "ethnic profiling" and that it would lead to further polarising an already divided nation.

    Meanwhile, with the Sri Lankan military closing in on the LTTE areas from virtually all sides, reports noted the increasing vulnerability of civilians in places like Vanni. The UN’s Colombo office urged the parties to establish a safe passage for these civilians2. The UN’s Resident Representative in the country, Neil Buhne, reiterated that any displaced person was “entitled to freedom of movement according to international principles3.”

    In other developments, search operations were underway to locate soldiers reported missing in the Nachchikuda area in Kilinochchi4. The military also claimed that it had received 19 dead bodies of soldiers from the LTTE through the ICRC5.

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