Padahuthurai bombing
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The Padahuthurai bombing or Illuppaikadavai bombing happened on January 2, 2007, when the
Sri Lanka Air Force The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) ( si, ශ්‍රි ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාව, Śrī Laṃkā guwan hamudāva; ta, இலங்கை விமானப்படை, Ilaṅkai vimāṉappaṭai) is the air arm and the yo ...
bombed what they claimed to be rebel
LTTE The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE; ta, தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள், translit=Tamiḻīḻa viṭutalaip pulikaḷ, si, දෙමළ ඊළාම් විමුක්ති කොටි, t ...
naval base in Illuppaikadavai in Northern
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
.
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) was a multinational body that existed from 2002 to 2008 to monitor the ceasefire between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as the ''Tamil Tigers'') during ...
, the local
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
bishop, and the LTTE claimed 15 minority
Sri Lankan Tamil Sri Lankan Tamils ( or ), also known as Ceylon Tamils or Eelam Tamils, are Tamils native to the South Asian island state of Sri Lanka. Today, they constitute a majority in the Northern Province, live in significant numbers in the Eastern Pr ...
s, including women and children, were killed and 35 injured due to the bombing.


Incident

Iluppaikkadavai is a small village in the Northwestern district of
Mannar Mannar may refer to the following places: India * Mannar, Alappuzha, a town in Chengannur Taluk, Kerala Sri Lanka * Mannar District, one of 25 districts in Sri Lanka ** Mannar Island, an island within the district **Mannar Bridge, a bridge connect ...
. It is about to the north of the town of Mannar. On the beaches near Iluppaikkadavai, at a place called "Padahuthurai", 231 people from 46 families were living in 35 huts. The residents were internally displaced people from
Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...
. Their dwellings were within of the sea. On January 1 of 2007 all families in Padahuthurai remained at home to celebrate the new year. The following day of January 2, four
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
i made Kfir jet bombers swooped down from the skies at 9:35 am. Three planes dropped four bombs each. The fourth plane dropped only two. There were twelve explosions with two bombs failing to explode. The air strike lasted ten minutes. Roughly 25 of the Padaguthurai dwellings were destroyed or damaged. The thatched roofs caught fire in many instances. About 50 - 60 people were injured. Some of them succumbed to injuries. Sri Lankan government has denied targeting civilians and claimed that it was a LTTE naval base.


Reaction


Sri Lankan Government

The
Government of Sri Lanka The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) ( si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා රජය, Śrī Lankā Rajaya; ta, இலங்கை அரசாங்கம்) is a parliamentary system determined by the Sri Lankan Constitution. It administers the is ...
initially claimed that Padahuthurai was a LTTE naval base and that those who died were LTTE cadres. Subsequent to reports from a media about civilian casualties, the government later stated that those who died may have been civilians whom the rebel group were using as
human shield A human shield is a non-combatant (or a group of non-combatants) who either volunteers or is forced to shield a legitimate military target in order to deter the enemy from attacking it. The use of human shields as a resistance measure was popula ...
s and who were forced to work for the LTTE.


LTTE Naval Base

Following the attack, the Sri Lankan government stated that detailed surveillance carried out over the past few years had identified Illuppaikadavai as a
LTTE The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE; ta, தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள், translit=Tamiḻīḻa viṭutalaip pulikaḷ, si, දෙමළ ඊළාම් විමුක්ති කොටි, t ...
Sea Tiger The Sea Tigers (Tamil: கடற்புலிகள் ''Kaţaṛpulikaḷ'') was the naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the Sri Lankan Civil War. It was founded in 1984. The Sea Tigers had a number of small but effectiv ...
base. According to them since the mid 90s the LTTE has used a main base located in interior Illuppaikadavai supported by four satellite bases named Kiranchi, Sudapiddi, Vedithalthivu, and Nachchikuda on the coast which functioned as launching pads for
Sea Tiger The Sea Tigers (Tamil: கடற்புலிகள் ''Kaţaṛpulikaḷ'') was the naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the Sri Lankan Civil War. It was founded in 1984. The Sea Tigers had a number of small but effectiv ...
craft. *On December 22, 2005, a group of Sea Tigers disguised as fishermen attacked two fibreglass dinghies of the Navy, killing three sailors off Pallimunai, Mannar. The sea tiger craft then withdrew to Vedithalathivu after the attack. *On January 26, 2006, a naval patrol seized an Indian trawler with six Indians aboard near the Kachchathivu islands, when they were transporting 60,000 electric detonators, believed to be intended for the use of the LTTE. The navy believed the destination of the haul of weapons to be Illuppaikadavai. *On June 17, 2006, a flotilla of about twelve Sea Tiger boats, which were launched from Vedithalathivu, attacked a routine Naval patrol off Pesalai, killing six sailors. The Navy said thirty militants were killed and several Sea Tigers were destroyed in the ensuing battle. *On November 18, 2006 two Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC) of the Navy on a routine sea patrol intercepted a flotilla of Sea Tiger boats heading towards Vedithalathivu. When the Navy IPC engaged the sea Tiger flotilla, seven more Sea Tiger boats were launched from Vedithalathivu as reinforcement. After the clash, in which two Sea Tiger boats were destroyed, the rest returned to Vedithalathivu. *On November 27, 2006 a Dvora Fast Attack Craft (FAC) on a routine sea patrol intercepted a trawler, off Udappu. The Sea Tigers aboard the trawler fired at the Navy patrol when it closed in for an inspection. The trawler which was used as a logistical craft for the LTTE exploded in a ball of fire amidst the subsequent Navy fire, which was a sign that the trawler was carrying explosives. Six Sea Tigers were believed to be killed in the explosion. The Navy identified the destination of the craft as Illuppaikadavai. The Sri Lankan government also released a video of the airstike on the LTTE base. (Video of the aerial attac
see here
.


Red Cross controversy

The military also stated that the nature of injuries of the people who the LTTE stated were victims were not consistent with an air-strike. None of them had burn injuring which normally occur during air strikes. Another discrepancy was that the
International Committee of the Red Cross The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC; french: Comité international de la Croix-Rouge) is a humanitarian organization which is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and it is also a three-time Nobel Prize Laureate. State parties (signato ...
(ICRC) was delayed giving permission to visit the site. According to the ICRC spokesman Sukumar Rockwood, when the ICRC visited the site, it was already cleared. He was quoted as saying, But, according to a report from BBC.com, the local Red Cross helped transport injured civilians from the scene of the attack to a nearby hospital.


Mannar Roman Catholic Diocese

Local
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bishop Rev. Rayappu Joseph, who has expressed pro rebel sentiments and allowed the LTTE to build defense bunds and plant mines inside his church, said that the village was a fishing settlement of internally displaced refugees and all those fourteen (initial estimate) who died were minority Tamil civilians. Reacting to the Sri Lankan government claim that it was a LTTE base he said, He further stated, He termed the bombing an act of
State terror State terrorism refers to acts of terrorism which a state conducts against another state or against its own citizens.Martin, 2006: p. 111. Definition There is neither an academic nor an international legal consensus regarding the proper def ...
and a
Crime against humanity Crimes against humanity are widespread or systemic acts committed by or on behalf of a ''de facto'' authority, usually a state, that grossly violate human rights. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity do not have to take place within the c ...
. See the "See Also" section below for the Bishop's interview in
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
.


Sri Lanka Anglican mission

Rt. Revd Duleep de Chickera, the
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
of
Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
said that the violence unleashed against Sri Lankan civilians by fellow Sri Lankans at Iluppaikkadavai, Nittambuwa and Godagama, (see also 2007 Sri Lankan bus bombs) within the first week of the new year shocked and disturbed an already desperate nation and must be condemned forthright. He further commenting on the government air raid at the boat loading jetty at Illupaikadavai said,


United Nations

While expressing concern over civilian deaths, the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
reiterated the need for both parties to protect civilians and uphold international human rights and humanitarian laws, while calling on both parties to cease hostilities and return to negotiations. said Margareta Wahlström, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator.


Reporters without borders

Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RWB; french: Reporters sans frontières; RSF) is an international non-profit and non-governmental organization with the stated aim of safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its advocacy as found ...
, or RSF, complained in its report that, The Press Freedom Organization added, The report concluded that only the presence of the local Roman Catholic bishop that confirmed the death of civilians.


Notes

* *


See also

*
List of attacks on civilians attributed to Sri Lankan government forces The following is a list of attacks on civilians attributed to armed groups under the control of the Sri Lankan government - Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, state organised mobs and paramilitary groups ( Home Guards/Civil Defence Force, EPDP, PLOTE ...
* Operation Rolling Thunder


References


External links


Sri Lanka: Mystery shrouds over the killing of civilians in Mannar
{{coord missing, Sri Lanka 2007 crimes in Sri Lanka Aerial bombing in Sri Lanka Attacks on civilians attributed to the Sri Lanka Air Force 2000s massacres of the Sri Lankan Civil War Mass murder in 2007 Mass murder of Sri Lankan Tamils Sri Lankan government forces attacks in Eelam War IV Terrorist incidents in Sri Lanka in 2007 January 2007 events in Asia