Zone for Safety

Sri Lanka defense forces declared a new safe zone on 12th February, shifting the existing zone of the bloodiest battle in Sri Lankan war history. The new refuge is a 12-kilometre strip along Sri Lanka's northeast coast where many civilians have already fled, Military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said.

While international bodies operating in the war zone claims both parties have shelled and endangered (sometimes killed) civilians within the previous safe-zone, Government of Sri Lanka denies all accusation. LTTE, on the other hand denies their involvement on Civilian deaths, as always. The previous safe-zone was geographically located in a death-zone, where battle progressed surrounding the area. Evacuation of people, or rather fleeing to Government controlled real-safe-zones was a game of death for most woman and children naturally.

Adding to the terror for those who wanted to flee, LTTE accused for open firing, since strategically loosing human count is a heavy loss for the LTTE. Following is an excerpt from WashingtonPost today “Trying to quiet her crying infant son, the young mother grabbed her 11-year-old's hand and told him to follow her. Starting out at dusk, they spent hours hiding in the jungle terrain, crouching amid the crossfire between the Sri Lankan army and Tamil Tiger rebels. Like thousands of other civilians stuck in the epicenter of the seemingly final battles of this civil war, Sashi Kumari Selvarajha's family was struggling to flee through marshlands and across the front lines, hoping for safety, she said through tears. But just as they crossed the line, she said, rebel forces open fired.”

The location of the earlier safe-zone was indeed a death trap for those who seek refuge, since of the vulnerability and in-accessibility due to the reasons mentioned. The new safe-zone brings new hopes for the civilians, where as it is strategically important to SL government, both diplomatically and militarily.

The strip encompassing the last remaining costal area for the LTTE, which is only connected from one place to the land. Nanthikadal Lagoon and some small lagoon waters surrounds most of the western side of the strip, while the land-connecting part can be sean as a small corridor for access.

UN and ICRC now has a safe passage to move civilians from the sea assisted by Navy, or by crossing the small gap of lagoon towards Mulathiv. Sources says most of the civilians are now flocked to this area naturally, since of avoiding the battlegrounds, even before the area is declared as the new safe-zone.

Though the geography is advantages for Civilian evacuation, the area is not-so-forgiving for the LTTE. An island like landmass is the last place any militant would like to settle, unless for his dying moment. This gives a strategic advantage for the SLDF to en-cage the remaining tigers into the safe-zone, where they are not entitled to go into, technically. According to battle veterans, the Tigers will not stand a chance if they fell into the trap, which is becoming eminent. However, as history proved, LTTE will not hesitate to play its last card, the Civilians, in case of emergency, which is the current status of LTTE anyway.