Bombed compound, a well-known humanitarian zone - GS

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 August 2006, 10:43 GMT]
The Grama Sevaka (a civil servant) of Vallipunam, Mr. Sivarajah, told reporters Monday that the area around the "Sencholai" home where 61 children were killed and 129 wounded by Sri Lankan bombers Monday morning was a well identified civilian zone with other residential homes, including those for the disabled, sources in Mullaitivu said.



“[The Sencholai] compound was established eight years ago and is well known to international agencies,” Mr. Sivarajah said. “Many UN seminars, including those conducted by UNICEF have been held here.”

"The Sencholai building has been for the past 8 years used to house girls who had lost one or more parents. Several other institutions providing humanitarian services are located close to Sencholai.

""Iniya Valvu Illam," a house for the severely disabled, "Gandhi Illam," a children's home for boys, "Vasantham," another children's home are located within 1 km from the Sencholai building that witnessed the carnage today," Mr Sivarajah said.

"Administrators of the Iniya Valvu Illam have informed me that the disabled children in their home are severely traumatized, and their staff has been consoling and counselling the children," Mr Sivarajah added.

The TNA, a coalition of Sri Lanka’s four largest Tamil political parties, condemned the airstrike in which four Kfir jets dropped a total of 16 bombs, and appealed to the international community to restrain Sri Lanka’s armed forces.

“This attack is not merely atrocious and inhuman - it clearly has a genocidal intent. It is yet another instance of brazen state terrorism,” the TNA said.