Report on Sri Lankan State Terror unleashed on minority Tamils
 "..Extortion through telephone intimidation is going on unabated. The sad fact is that the victims are so threatened that they do not attempt to communicate with anyone. We too are helpless because in spite of the Bank account number and even the caller’s phone number having been furnished to the top ranking service personnel, noting tangible has been done. The victims even after paying the demanded sum do not talk about it to any one except those who they consider are reliable and that too under promise of confidentiality. One can imagine how terrified our people are about abductions by those in white vans or motor cycles, followed by corpses being thrown on roads. It is an irony that such vehicles move about quite freely even during curfew hours. .."

CRIES FROM THE PALMYRA GROVE - (Weekly statement on the Local Developments – No. 16 - up to 2007-11-26) 

Extortion through telephone intimidation is going on unabated. The sad fact is that the victims are so threatened that they do not attempt to communicate with anyone. We too are helpless because in spite of the Bank account number and even the caller’s phone number having been furnished to the top ranking service personnel, noting tangible has been done. The victims even after paying the demanded sum do not talk about it to any one except those who they consider are reliable and that too under promise of confidentiality. One can imagine how terrified our people are about abductions by those in white vans or motor cycles, followed by corpses being thrown on roads. It is an irony that such vehicles move about quite freely even during curfew hours. 

The threats faced by the Tamil public so far, have now extended even to the elected Tamil members of Parliament as from the 2nd reading of the SL budget. Some MP’s were reported to have been threatened not to vote against the Government’s budget. The son-in law of one Tamil MP of the East was kidnapped with the threat that former would not return alive if the latter voted against the budget the next day. The particular MP became sick as a result and did not attend parliament or take part in the voting. If the MP’s themselves are given such treatment, one can surmise how the ordinary public or popular social leaders are being handled or got rid of. 

The budget presented this year and still under scrutiny in committee is obviously a war budget unambiguously giving the meaning that the government is on the war-path and not that of a negotiated settlement. The sad fact is that the so called foreign governments who profess to seek a negotiated settlement are propping up and even instigating this approach by giving support financially and even with war materials.

From the near stalemate or even sabotage in the all-party conference approach to find a solution to be presented, it is obvious that once the LTTE is weakened, if it can be, the Tamils’ problem will be soon forgotten or shelved with a meager solution. It is sad that the Tamils are fast losing all confidence in the sincerity of the international forum to find an amicable solution satisfying the just demands of the Tamils.

We are alarmed at the rate of bombing over civilian targets in the LTTE controlled areas, killing numerous innocent civilians and causing very heavy loss of buildings, property and livestock. It may be that there would have been sporadic damage caused to the LTTE, but does it justify killing civilians in the process? It is again saddening that the international forum is keeping mum and even recharging the government with further arms and ammunitions or finance.