11 years today - 3,000 dead and 25,000 critically injured

17 May 202

Marking 11 years since the Sri Lankan military onslaught that massacred tens of thousands of Tamils, we revisit the final days leading up to the 18th of May 2009 – a date remembered around the world as ‘Tamil Genocide Day’. The total number of Tamil civilians killed during the final months is widely contested. After providing an initial death toll of 40,000, the UN found evidence suggesting that 70,000 were killed. Local census records indicate that at least 146,679 people are unaccounted for and presumed to have been killed.

See more at www.RememberMay2009.com, a collaborative project launched last year, between the Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research, Tamil Guardian and 47 Roots.

17th May 2009

Photograph above: In this image released by the military, a Tamil man waves a white cloth in the air as he is surrounded by Sri Lankan soldiers in Mullivaikkal on May 17th 2009.

3,000 dead and 25,000 critically injured

The Commander of the LTTE’s Sea Tigers Colonel Soosai sends out a message to journalists from Mullivaikkal. As he speaks, artillery shells can be heard landing in the background.

Translated extracts reproduced below.

“The last hours are happening, the last hours are happening… a lot of people are dying, heavy fighting is going on. A lot of people are dying… in all areas, corpses are heaping up… the people are not being allowed to leave”.

“Yesterday, the day before yesterday, through the ICRC in Geneva, we got in direct contact with Geneva, through KP Padmanathan, we contacted Geneva, to ask whether they could, through Irattavaikkal, Mullaithivu Vadduvaakal or through Irattavaikkal, we will let the wounded 25,000 people leave for them to take. We asked them to take the 25,000 people…. But… 25,000.. over 25,000 are in here being wounded and dying… fighting is ongoing - artillery and so on are being used heavily… In the 2km area from all sides they are firing artillery. Civilians are dying.”

“Until the end we won't cower… but our people are dying. The international community has turned a blind eye… we have been asking to evacuate the 25,000 people. Even now, without delaying further... but now 20-25,000 are wounded… They are in the bunkers which have been surrounded.”

It was to be his last public message.

Listen below.

Over 3,000 people have been killed over the last 24 hours, with another 25,000 critically injured.

LTTE ‘remove last weak excuse… we have decided to silence our guns’

The LTTE’s then head of International Diplomatic Relations issued a statement. Extracts below.

“Despite our plea to the world to save the thousands of people in Vanni from the clutches of death, the silence of the international community has only encouraged the Sri Lankan military to execute the war to its bitter end. In the past 24 hours, over 3000 civilians lie dead on the streets while another 25,000 are critically injured with no medical attention. To save the lives of our people is the need of the hour.”

“It is our people who are dying now from bombs, shells, illness and hunger. We cannot permit any more harm to befall them. We remain with one last choice – to remove the last weak excuse of the enemy for killing our people. We have decided to silence our guns.”

‘As many as 100,000 civilians trapped’

Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapksa announced publicly on May 17 that there were no civilians remaining in the conflict zone.

However, a leaked US embassy cable reveals the Americans were told by current TNPF leader Gajen Ponnambalam and the Bishop of Mannar that a reported “tens of thousands” remain trapped.

According to the cable,

“The Bishop of Mannar… estimated that there were 60,000 to 75,000 civilian left in the zone.”

“Ponnambalam estimated that there could still be as many as 100,000 civilians.”

Photograph: In this image released by the military, wreckage is seen burning in Mullivaikkal on May 17th 2009.

Sri Lanka refuses to accept mediated surrenders or evacuate the wounded

A leaked US Embassy cable says,

Ambassador spoke to Gothabaya Rajapaksa on the morning of May 17 to urge him to allow the ICRC into the conflict zone to mediate a surrender.

Rajapaksa commented, "We're beyond that now".

Ambassador contacted senior GSL officials throughout the day, including Secretary of Defense Gothabaya Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Bogollagama, to urge acceptance of a mediated surrender of the remaining Tigers and maximum restraint on the part of the military to avoid further civilian casualties, particularly after the reports from the Bishop of Mannar of continued high numbers of civilians in the safe zone. 

Rajapaksa refused to accept mediated surrender on the grounds that the fighting was all but over, but said troops had been instructed to accept anyone who wishes to surrender.

A leaked US Embassy cable says,

"Ambassador spoke to Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa to request access for the ICRC to evacuate dead and wounded.  Rajapaksa refused, contending the GSL could manage on its own."

"Ambassador called Basil Rajapaksa to note the reports of many dead and wounded lying in the conflict zone, and again requested access for the ICRC to the area to evacuate the wounded. Basil energetically refused… Rajapaksa noted that the Army was evacuating wounded civilians by air to Anuradhapura and could deal with the current situation by itself."

Rajapaksa returns to Sri Lanka

Then Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa returns to Sri Lanka.

Current Sri Lankan president, and then acting defence minister, Maithripala Sirisena is the first to greet him as his plane lands, garlanding and hugging Rajapaksa. See video below.

Surrender negotiations continue

Basil Rajapaksa is informed by a TNA parliamentarian in touch with the LTTE that there are 3,000 cadres (including the political wing) and 22,000 civilians who wanted to surrender as soon as possible.

Photograph: LTTE political leader Pulidevan pictured inside Mullivaikkal. This is the last known photograph of him alive.

See accounts from the day, as told by ITJP, below. See more on their website here.