Sri Lankan Hospital under Artillery Fire

Carina Gibson

Feb. 4 2009

12:58 AM

On Sunday, artillery attacks started on a hospital in Sri Lanka, and continued through Tuesday. The hospital, located in the rebel-held village of Puthukkudiyiruppu had become a target. Shells hit the pediatric and surgery wards. Once it had been established that the hospital was not safe, the wounded began to flee, and still no one knows where many disappeared to. Before the attacks on Tuesday, at least twelve people had been killed. The International Committee of the Red Cross states that the 500 patients admitted to the hospital before the attacks occurred, has shrunk to 350 patients. Officially controlled by the Sri Lankan government, in this state of turmoil and civil war, the Libertian Tigers of Tamil Eelam have control over the hospital. It is not known who is firing these shells, but both sides have been warned to spare the hospital. The government has made several warnings about firing on the hospital, as it is a violation of war to attack such an establishment. Outside countries such as Norway, Japan, and the United States have endorsed the government's statements in ordering a cease-fire in order for the civilians and patients to evacuate the war zone. An "...estimated 250,000 civilians are trapped in the fighting..." (International Aid Agencies.) Sri Lanka is urgently trying to cease the fighting of this civil war in order to protect it's citizens.

The already wounded citizens of Sri Lanka are now even in more distress as the civil war spreads it's fighting into these civilian areas. This has caused many wounded to go missing, and without any healthcare assistance only more casualties are expected. With endorsements from other nations, as well as the UN, we only hope that the two sides can cease-fire for at least a moment in order to help these civilians gain aid.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/world/asia/04lanka.html?_r=1&ref=world