Jaffna students urge Colombo to stop bombing

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 August 2001, 16:11 GMT]
The Jaffna University Students Union (JUSU) appealed to international community "to intervene and safeguard the lives of Tamil students and civilians in the northeastern province from the continuing reprisal aerial attacks by the Sri Lanka Air Force". The JUSU in a statement issued Sunday said "aerial attacks targeting civilian positions such as schools and residential areas in northeast, particularly in Vanni and other Tigers controlled region are taking place almost daily. These indiscriminate aerial attacks have caused deaths and destruction to lives and properties of Tamil civilians".

The JUSU has pointed out in its statement that a school student, Parmakulasingam Jegan of Visuvamadu in LTTE controlled Wanni region died in an aerial attack by the SLAF on August 13.

The JUSU condemned the Sri Lankan Government for "allowing such indiscriminate aerial attacks on Tamil dominated northeast region in the island following Katunayake air base and international airport disaster on July 24."

Meanwhile the Leader of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization and Parliamentarian Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan in a statement Sunday said, ìthe continuous aerial bombing by the Sri Lanka Air Force since July 24 after the Katunayake disaster, on the Tamil homeland in the island has caused deaths destruction and loss of employment to a large number of rural Tamil peopleî.

He added, "due to continuous bombing of areas surrounding Thoppigala jungles has devastated several residential areas and killed several heads of cattle. Hundreds of peasants have lost their day to day earning and are now left in the lurch".

"The Sri Lankan Government should take immediate steps to stop this indiscriminate aerial bombing of Tamil dominated villages, particularly in Tiger controlled villages" Mr. Adaikalanathan said in his statement.