SRI LANKA: WEAPONS ISSUED TO CIVILIANS AS PROTECTION AGAINST TAMILS

Описание: (12 Nov 1995) Sinhalese/Eng/Nat

After 12 years of ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, government forces say they are just days away from recapturing the northern city of Jaffna, stronghold of the rebel Tamil Tigers.

The war has cost an estimated 50 thousand lives, and as it enters this critical stage, the government has issued thousands of guns to civilians so they can protect themselves from a new nationwide guerrilla offensive being launched by the Tigers.

Here in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka, the government has been handing out automatic weapons to men more used to farming than killing.

Police have told them to shoot suspected Tamil Tigers on sight.

These Sinhalese peasants and their villages have become easy prey for the Tiger attacks. In recent weeks, as government troops advanced on the rebel's headquarters in Jaffna, guerilla units have been raiding villages away from the frontline in Central province.

Two weeks ago in the village of Herat Halmillewa, 26 villagers were massacred in one night. Five of this man's family were killed in this house.

SOUNDBITE: (In Sinhalese)
The Tigers came with light machine guns firing, they were just children of ten or 12 years of age, carrying guns and running around destroying everything.

SUPER CAPTION: Eyewitness to massacre

This undignified mass grave holds all of the victims of the attack. This, along with equally brutal attacks led to the arming of villagers.

SOUNDBITE:

The villagers must feel that the land they are fighting for is their own land.
On that basis we have armed the villagers. Not just shotguns. We have given them automatic weapons as well.
We are giving them training on how to use them and in a month or two we'll be ready to meet and LITE (Tamil Tigers) threat on this score.

SUPER CAPTION: Sumith Liyanagi, Police Deputy Inspector General, North Central Province

For families unwilling to stay and fight, protected refugee bases have been set up.

Here amid the overcrowding, many have to come to terms with the loss of murdered loved ones.

An elder daughter looks after her younger brother and sister, the father shot dead by the Tigers.

This man is one hundred years old, a few chairs placed around him attempt to give a semblance of dignity to what relatives fear are his final hours.

The government may be about to retake the Tamil Tigers HQ in Jaffna, but it seems the Tigers are now returning to Guerilla warfare.

SOUNDBITE:
They have changed their tactics and gone back to attacking villagers and innocent people just as they did when they started in the 1980s. They chop, cut, stab and shoot innocent villagers.

SUPER CAPTION: Sumith Liyanagi, Police Deputy Inspector General, North Central Province

Few seem concerned about such deadly weapons now being handed out to fight the Tigers.

SOUNDBITE: (In Sinhalese)
The Tigers came from as far away as Jaffna to attack us and now we are ready to attack them.

SUPER CAPTION: Armed Villager

While the government prepares for the final push into Jaffna and other Tiger held territory, it's becoming clear to thousands of Sri Lankans such defeat is more likely to change the Tigers' tactics than bring total surrender.

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