28 March, 2024

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85,000 Civilians Trapped In 600mX400m No Fire Zone On 16th May 2009 – Fonseka Reveals Gruesome Story About Final Battle

Former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka made stunning claims in Parliament this week, shining a light on the real situation inside the ‘no fire zone’ during the final days of the war against the LTTE in May 2009.

Fonseka

Intervening during MP Gajen Ponnambalam’s speech during the debate on the Defence Ministry expenditure head, Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka who led the army during the final battle, said 85,000 civilians had been evacuated by the army on May 16, 2009, two days before the war officially ended with LTTE supremo Prabhakaran’s death.

By the 16th of May, 2009 the ‘no fire zone’ designated by the Government of Sri Lanka as a safe harbour for civilians, the area was no more than a few hundred square kilometers in size.

According to the Sri Lanka Army’s own situation report issued on 17th May 2009, Sri Lankan soldiers had boxed the LTTE into a stretch of land no more than 600mX400m in size in the Vellamullaivaikal area. It is from an area this small that according to Fonseka, 85,000 civilians escaped, telling a gruesome story about conditions inside the final theatre of battle tens of thousands of civilians had been trapped.

The assertion by the army commander at the time lends credence to claims that the military may have killed tens of thousands of civilians by firing into the designated safe zones where LTTE cadres had mingled with Tamil civilians for cover. The UN estimates that 40,000 civilians perished during the final battle against the LTTE.

The Tigers shot at civilians trying to flee the fighting while the army indiscriminately shelled make-shift hospitals and civilian hideouts to smoke out LTTE fighters.

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Latest comments

  • 32
    18

    What the arch Sinhalese racist Sarath Fonseka says is half or quarter, or even less truths fabricated to further his political needs. Take his words like Trump’s – untruths!

    • 12
      7

      Dear Thiru:
      The article left out very important information that MP Gajen Ponnampalam provided during his speech at the parliament on 3rd Dec 2020.

      He stated that LTTE contacted him as he was then too an MP to have him arrange for evacuation of civilians. MP Ponnampalam had reached out to then Minister Basil Rajapaksa and the two spoke mutiple times but it turned out that the state had other plans!
      https://www.facebook.com/1607426422808347/posts/2770230219861289/

    • 26
      3

      Thiru
      We all know that the Govt numbers on those trapped were wrong and there were more than what the Govt has officially stated. However, at the same time its also true that Tigers shot at people who were escaping. This was also stated by those who escaped, there are videos to support this. So to be honest we have to accept both.

    • 2
      2

      What a racist rant of a loser!

    • 2
      3

      Raja-Virodhi Sambandan and the entire TNA and other Tamil parties licked the ass of the Fonseka and voted entire Tamils to Fonseka time he contested as a Presidential Election. That is why the Sinhalese proverb Tamilal sari Peeth Sari
      .

      • 2
        2

        Perera,

        “Tamilal sari Peeth Sari”

        Never heard such a proverb. What does it mean?

        The only SL proverb mentioning Tamils is – trust only two Tamils, the dead and the died.

        It has some modern variations. One variation says, trust only two Tamils, the dead and the one on the funeral notice.

  • 28
    14

    Ponni is trying for two mangos with one stone. 1). Right after Slap Party won, they were trying to negotiate with UNP & SLFPyers to join their party. Ponni thought they would take him in giving offering a minister post. That didn’t happen at that time. Now he is convulsing to get it. 2). His family living in USA happily. He is a designated War Criminal. He cannot go to USA. So he is playing Jekyll Hide drama, talking both ways. He is a rotten Afghani Donkey, who is a good mule for Royals to pair with Rear Admirable on the same yoke (may be same joke?).
    He is a real wild beast, said that Puravi should have come on the Maveerer Day and devastated Tamils on that day during their morning. This rascal is responsible for many cold blooded murders and rapes in North.

    • 6
      5

      Mallaiyuran,
      “He is a designated War Criminal.”

      There should be something wrong with the brains of Tamils who voted to a person who committed war crimes (genocide) against Tamils to make him the President of Sri Lanka.

      • 5
        2

        Eagle Brain Dead Blind Eye

        “There should be something wrong with the brains of Tamils who voted to a person who committed war crimes (genocide) against Tamils to make him the President of Sri Lanka.”

        What can I say, whatever you say maybe right.
        However come to think of it, something is very, very, very wrong with the brains of Sinhala/Buddhists who voted for the clan knowing they committed war crimes and crime against humanity in an unprecedented scale, responsible for grant theft, ……………………………
        What do we do now?

      • 5
        2

        Egleloya,

        Did your great great great……… grand mother sleep with an Eagle? What kind of bird brain do you have to ask a question like that? Because you should have known that Ponni is only one man War Criminal, but Slap Party Royals are one Extended Family War Criminals.

        You sound like that, if a gang’s leader, caught you in your path, asks that you want to be beaten by one rowdy only or a gang of rowdies, you would answer that you might like by the gang. You know Tamils are not Modayas.

    • 1
      2

      Loser!

  • 23
    15

    This guy is a known liar that contradicts his own story when it suits him. Refer to the crap he has said in parliament.
    The coward ran away from the US when he was to be questioned. He talks big but this dog was dragged by his legs, made to wear a prison jumper and thrown in jail.

    • 18
      8

      https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/gotabaya-denies-role-in-killings/article17565967.ece

      He was no leader. Just a coward that held a title while others did the work.
      “While the CID’s submission, according to news reports, accused Gotabaya Rajapaksa of giving orders to the secret military outfit that reportedly targeted journalists and political dissidents, the former Defence Secretary categorically denied the allegations. “He [Fonseka] was the army commander at that time. If he knew of such a death squad, why did he not take any action on them. He was completely wrong in not taking action,” Mr. Rajapaksa told The Hindu.”

  • 27
    7

    Sri Lankan forces came face to face with a rare historic opportunity on 17 May 2009 to win the hearts of the Tamil people and ensure the viability of the unitary state. But they missed it. The Sri Lankan government failed to rise to the occasion. The Sinhalese leaders couldn’t muster the courage to act in a statesmanlike manner and safeguard the lives of over 50,000 fellow citizens – innocent civilians who had the misfortune of getting trapped in the crossfire. In that sense, Sri Lanka lost the war. Current ominous developments in the country are a manifestation of that tragic defeat.

    • 11
      5

      You think that was ever their goal ?? Given the opportunity they will treat the Tamil people like second class citizens and do the riots all over agains. They have an opportunity to correct themselves and act like human being but you see them trying their dehumanising tactics with the Muslims this time. These sinhala extremist buddhists will never learn.
      .
      If some other group like the ltte crops back up because of the dehumanising these sinhala extremist buddhists are doing to the Tamils in the north then I guarantee you it will not end well for the moda sinhalayo. Without the support of the Muslims these Moda sinhalayo will have to redraw their maps with one part given to the Tamils, another to China and another to America (welcomed); what will be left for the moda sinhalayo will be a Swiss cheese looking country where it’ll be the only place in the world where viruses travel through ground water and water snakes carrying clay pots cure diseases and +2 million frustrated thug monks being fed like cattle from tax monies abuse children that have been left at their temples by ignorant parents.

      • 3
        6

        sitrep24,
        Sinhala Buddhists who saved Muslims from persecution by Portuguese and Sinhala Buddhists who gave citizenship to Tamils brought by colonial rulers from Hindusthan and abandoned in Sinhale never started riots against Muslims or Tamils. It is Muslims and Tamils who started riots against Sinhalayo.
        The first riot by Muslims against Sinhala Buddhists was in 1915 at Gampola by attacking a Buddhist procession.
        Anti-Sinhala riots were initiated by Vellala Tamils who did not want to lose the privileged position they enjoyed by entering the Government service in large numbers during British rule.
        If we go to the roots of anti-Sinhala Buddhist riots by Tamils and Muslims in recent times, all of them were started by either Tamils or Muslims. They start and cleverly put the blame on Sinhala Buddhists to convince the International Community that majority Sinhala Buddhists are violent and ill-treat minorities to get their sympathy.
        It is sad to see these people who live in Sri Lanka thanks to kind heartedness of Sinhala Buddhists turning against people who helped them. Be civilized and be grateful to people who helped.

        • 4
          0

          Eagle Eye ,
          Sinhala Buddhist saving Muslims from Portuguese is half truth .
          And so is everything else you are striving to establish in support
          of your half truth claims . Let me put what I feel about one sided
          long time feeling of some section of Extreme Sinhala Buddhists
          that the country only belongs to them ! Srilanka became Srilanka
          in 70s ! It was Ceylon before that ! Muslims and Tamils are part
          and parcel of Ceylon becoming Srilanka.You want to deny that ?
          Muslims and Tamils were part and parcel of ending foreign rule
          in the country and IT WAS A NECESSARY CONDITION for their
          exit ! It was a matter of TRUST that Muslims and Tamils placed
          upon the Majority Leaders ! Suppose muslims and Tamils did not
          accept a Sinhala Buddhist leadership at the time ? Can you
          honestly imagine where today the whole society stands when it
          comes to TRUST even among closely knit family members ?
          Friends and neighbours , thanks to the successive leaders showing
          the way forward to the nation with their super natural talents ?
          Is it not using even the lightest form of force against a powerless
          community their best interest that they enjoy most ? Not words ,
          actions are nakedly being exhibited to the whole world !

    • 3
      10

      Ajay,
      “Sri Lankan forces came face to face with a rare historic opportunity on 17 May 2009 to win the hearts of the Tamil people and ensure the viability of the unitary state. But they missed it.”
      ===
      Usual BS story of those who got defeated. Sri Lankan Armed Forces liberated Tamils from the clutches of LTTE barbaric terrorists who used civilians as a human shield and shot those who tried to escape which is a war crime. 12,000 LTTE combatants including 594 child soldiers surrendered to the armed forces. None of them were killed or disappeared as claimed by racist Tamils. If Tamils who live in peace thanks to Sri Lankan Armed Forces do not want to be grateful to them that is their problem.

    • 6
      1

      The Sri Lankan state has had plenty of opportunities since the 1950s to win the hearts of the Tamil people but have always resorted to violence to subjugate them. The hatred is so entrenched as some in these pages have proven, they only know one way to respond. Why are we surprised!

    • 2
      4

      For some strange reason the death of those 40,000 people (may they rest in peace) brought peace to SL. As with most wars there is a winner and a loser. The winner celebrates while to loser laments. Normal.

    • 1
      4

      The war (1975 to 2009) killed 33,000 Sri Lankans which is a lot but murders killed more during the same time, suicides killed more during the same time and snakes, mosquitoes killed more during the same time. Put things into perspective. The war also killed Indians and Tamil Elam people.

  • 18
    8

    Who won the war – Gota or Fonseka.

    I thought when jailed for treason, he would come clean and clear his conscience. He still has vomit in his guts, and his conscience will eat him out soon, unless.

    As the Commander in Chief during the last stages of the war, ignorant Fonseka should leave the country and join his family in the US, and unilaterally call upon the UN for an independent international investigation on what actually happened, on who killed who, when, how, and why.

    The Tamils still have an ounce of respect for you, remember they voted for you even after the war. You are a pathetic politician, don’t know how to cover up lies, but at least be honest to your conscience. The departed souls from the No Fire Zone are waiting to hear from you, and they need to go to rest in peace.

    • 3
      5

      Manickavasagar,
      How did you come to say that ‘The Tamils still have an ounce of respect for you’. You have given the answer, ‘remember they voted for you even after the war’.
      If you seriously believe that Tamils voted for him out of respect, you are a man of low intelligence.

    • 2
      1

      A million Tamils voted for SF. Fact. Why?

      In 2010 over 99% Sri Lankans voted for the two clans that won the war – MR and SF. The winner has many fathers but the loser is always an orphan!

  • 4
    10

    how is this qualified to be news? . Given what happened I am sure the amount of land where there LTTE held reduced days by day till it came to 0 on the 19 th

    To my knowledge by the ones who served under him SF was a hard hard task master who brooked no nonsense from his subordinates. but at the same time, he takes credit for all the success and gives no credit to any one for support. He bears seems like a patton or a macathur but not one who can become a statesman like eisinhover.

  • 14
    4

    Gota a true face is not yet exposed.but wait and see few more months. This govt will achieve nothing fo the benefit of the masses. 😎😎😎😎😎😎

  • 13
    3

    There are three kinks of Lies:

    Lies, damned lies and Statistics!
    Truth is buried in Mullivaikkal and Nandikadal!

    • 4
      3

      Bro PLATO,
      .
      So long would not care much about facts and truths. Anyone supporting criminals could become Chandiayas in any place. But truths will succeed sooner or later.

  • 5
    20

    FP/TULF/TNA should have been sent to deal with the LTTE well before the armed forces so the “horrors” could have been avoided. This party would have stood tall amongst us the Sri Lankans too.

    Then agin this has been the story with the FP/TULF/TC/TN had no principles yet sacrificed anything for its survival without ever having delivered as the elected except death.

    No one to investigate this folly……..but the poor soldiers had to pick up the bullets too?????

    Can Mr Sampnathar stand in the parliament and explain his knowledge and actions to the people of Sri Lanka????????? does not any parliamentarian has the balls to ask this squandrels to explain anything to us who lost our Nation??????

    Shouldn’t we have asked Mr Modi when he attended the parliament to explain the entire Indian hand to us the people of Sri Lanka??

    Should not the great fabricated Tamil history story writers be explaining this to us??

    • 13
      4

      Thiagarajah Venugopal, you are not a Tamil, change your name to your true identity. What explanations are you looking for? Mahawamsa is true, Buddha was really a God with Godly powers, this land belongs only to the Sinhalese? Bloody crook that you are, hiding under a Tamil south Indian name and spewing racism. By the way it is not ‘squandrels’ but scoundrels. At least get the bloody spelling correct.

      • 4
        9

        Dear Northern Tamil

        Thank you for the feed back.

        Having brought up in Karainagar I felt how this comment section and the picture and headings were designed (at the highest subliminal way the mind games are played nowdays) to manufacture consent.

        Then to mix messages as they are diverse when in fact they are more a less written by the same made it even more convincing………very impressed.

        Even your own children overseas would not know the real truth let along the world.

        What to do I admire how clever the Singaporean/Malaysian/Indian Tamils are where they had my children do the dirty for their business ventures to date. Now laying foundation for the next generation of Jaffna children to do the sacrifice once more……..kind of hard to swallow.

        That is why I ask you to come open so I can replace your children in place of Jaffna children and send them for overseas life and your children to the Tamil Nadu training camps.

        • 9
          2

          Thiagarajah Venugopal do not mix me up with the Tamil Ealam crowd. I am not for Tamil Ealam, but an ardent supporter of human rights. Whether these are Sinhalese or Tamils, they are all the same to me. If the filthy regime and their corrupt armed forces massacre innocent civilians, then you will hear me scream. What you said to me, I suggest you direct them towards these useless Tamil Ealam supporters. What I don’t understand is your stance on what went on in SL for the past 70 years. Are you that thick skinned or absolutely stupid? Can’t you see the suffering of the people in the hands of all armed groups and military?

    • 2
      0

      How can powerless groups make a difference? All power lies with the Sri Lankan state not with FP/TULF/TNA. THAT is the underlying cause of the civil war in Sri Lanka, the refusal by the Sinhala controlled Sri Lanka state to devolve any power to the Tamils. Its called Hegemony!

      • 0
        3

        Dear Kazans

        We are going to empower the Indian/Malaysian/Singaporean/Western Tamils using this party. It will soon be shipped out to serve you and your children for another 80 years and you will understand all I have written here for the past 2 years trying to share knowledge.

        We Sri Lankans are very grateful for the the service FP/TULF has done to entire Tamil speaking people around the world and now it will be taken to the same Jewish scenario where we get involved in local day to day life of others. FP/TULF come highly recommended….some of the new innocent new generations are not as hardy and spiteful/vengeance/hateful seeking as the previous generals and captains as they are no more.

        • 0
          3

          Can you kindly list the issues you faced (Tamils Only) for the past 100 years (minimum requirement for FP/TULF consultancy) in your Nations please so we can negotiate the pore requisite for you to have the FP/TULF phenomenon.

          Prepare yourself and your children for Martyrdom to achieve the same life we have achieved in SL. Welcome to Liberation sponsored by Tamil nadu.

  • 8
    1

    Every Human life is very, very, important. The life cannot be smoked out for nothing. Now an Ex-Military Police fellow turned political activist claims be a witness how Rohana Wijeweera was murdered and cremated alive. Fonseka, controversial Ex-Army chief makes revelations, in the floor of the house. In Singapore, once an MP made some astounding statements and at once a select committee of Parliament was appointed to examine his claim. The Committee found that the claimant had given false evidence before it and was fined 50,000 Sin Dollars. All these claims must be authoritatively investigated by a competent Commission of Inquiry and let the nation know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

  • 7
    2

    85,000 for starters
    more revelation to come ….

  • 7
    2

    It is hard to believe anything that comes from the lower ranks of the military, to the Army Commanders, and up to the Defense Secretary, their justifications and their refusals to be held accountable for the massacre of Sri Lankan civilians up North. Their actions, refusals, and blame on other nations, all indicate they are guilty as hell.
    If they had nothing to hide, they would have opened up without fear to investigations, and today those found guilty would be in jail. Thousands of our citizens deserve answers, and should get closure. They still grieve.
    If they are not guilty why act like they are? Arrogance?

  • 5
    10

    These people who spew anti-Rajapakshe, anti- Sri Lanka Armed Forces, Anti-Sinhala venom are suffering from ‘POST-DEFEAT SYNDROME’. Anger and hatred towards the party who defeated them are the main symptoms of these people who suffer from depression and inferiority complex. These poor chaps need psychiatric help to overcome this situation. Until they get cured we have to bear with this pathetic lot.

    • 7
      2

      Eagle blind bat Eye, when you criticize the filth in SL, that is not an insult on the country. I know you are not an intelligent fellow. The garbage that has been called leadership, will always remain garbage. If you support this filth, then you are filth too.

    • 2
      1

      Sinhalese won the war. Winners.
      Tamils lost the war. Losers.
      Facts.
      So what is your point EE?

      The war killed 33,000 Sri Lankans which is a lot but murders killed more during the same time, suicides killed more during the same time and snakes, mosquitoes killed more during the same time. Put things into perspective.

  • 4
    2

    Ponniyadda Pissu Machang! He is blabbering like an Angoda runaway.

    He is complaining Rear Admirable is not bending over backward to him. But he had picked the Rear Admirable when was cowling in the dirst and spoon feeding how to be a Rapist Navy. Ponni is mad!

  • 0
    1

    I am no fan of Fonseka but he brought the conflict to an end and the Tamils are living happily and doing business in the south and I know this as they are my friends and we mush have a credible opposition to the people in power just in case they go out of line which seems to be obvious. Disunity among the opposition is not helpful to solve the many problems facing the people.LTTE did a lot of harm that should have been stopped and they threw the first stone.Our politicians are not the best in the world, out to make money at the expense of us, therefore country must have a credible opposition. Some times the truth hurts but Fonseka is not my favourite for the top job but he could help to create a credible opposition. We see prisoners killed in prison officers like Shani Abeysekara been locked up, convicted criminals in parliament is a cause for concern..

    • 1
      0

      Noel ,
      The bitter truth that we have to swallow is that a CORRUPT country
      can not bring in a credible opposition or a credible government !
      What we are witnessing since a fair chunk of our recent past is that
      the government and the opposition work hand in hand not mainly
      to protect its people’s interest but its own interests.One clear such
      instance was, most recent , the support of the opposition MPs that
      included Muslim,Tamil and Sinhalese to prop up 20th amendment !
      One can fully understand , when there’s a serious need , that could
      happen , but what happened here was not that kind of a need but a
      clean deal between them that is not going to bring any benefit to the
      foolish voters ! It is a serious matter for the country but look how
      serious people take it ? Almost nothing happened ! As long as people
      remain senseless,soulless , shameless and useless , that’s what they
      are going to be , good for nothing !

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