This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/8015818.stm
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'No pause' in Sri Lanka fighting | 'No pause' in Sri Lanka fighting |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Sri Lankan army has said there will be no more breaks in fighting against the Tamil Tigers in the north of the country, as it closes in on the rebels. | The Sri Lankan army has said there will be no more breaks in fighting against the Tamil Tigers in the north of the country, as it closes in on the rebels. |
| Spokesman Brig Shavendra Silva said the only way civilians could leave the area was if the army rescued them, as the rebels would not let any more out. | Spokesman Brig Shavendra Silva said the only way civilians could leave the area was if the army rescued them, as the rebels would not let any more out. |
| The UN has been calling on both sides to pause hostilities so aid can be sent in and people evacuated. | The UN has been calling on both sides to pause hostilities so aid can be sent in and people evacuated. |
| It is sending an aid team to the area, where it says 50,000 are trapped. | It is sending an aid team to the area, where it says 50,000 are trapped. |
| The government says 100,000 people have fled since Monday's military push. An estimated 60,000 people had already fled in recent months. | The government says 100,000 people have fled since Monday's military push. An estimated 60,000 people had already fled in recent months. |
| See a map of the region | See a map of the region |
| The Associated Press quoted a UN report being circulated around diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka saying nearly 6,500 civilians had died and 14,000 were injured. | The Associated Press quoted a UN report being circulated around diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka saying nearly 6,500 civilians had died and 14,000 were injured. |
| Meanwhile senior Indian officials were on their way to Colombo, following Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee's call to end the killing of civilians. | Meanwhile senior Indian officials were on their way to Colombo, following Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee's call to end the killing of civilians. |
| Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and National Security Adviser M K Narayanan are expected to stress the severity of the humanitarian crisis. | Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and National Security Adviser M K Narayanan are expected to stress the severity of the humanitarian crisis. |
| 'Gates of hell' | 'Gates of hell' |
| On Thursday the UN Refugee Council's representative in Colombo, Amin Awad, called on the Sri Lankan government to allow pauses in the fighting so the necessary work could be completed. | On Thursday the UN Refugee Council's representative in Colombo, Amin Awad, called on the Sri Lankan government to allow pauses in the fighting so the necessary work could be completed. |
| "We are calling on the government to restrain itself and have the moral upper ground by allowing the humanitarian aid in, and we're asking the LTTE [Tamil Tigers] to open the gates of hell and allow these people out into safety," he said. | "We are calling on the government to restrain itself and have the moral upper ground by allowing the humanitarian aid in, and we're asking the LTTE [Tamil Tigers] to open the gates of hell and allow these people out into safety," he said. |
| The BBC's Charles Haviland, on an army tank heading towards the war zone I'm in an armoured vehicle, a tank, tearing along a country road. I'm being jolted around a lot, there's no chance of stopping or even slowing down. The government has just been giving a demonstration in the oppressive building [in Kilinochchi] from which the Tamil Tigers directed their operations, now much changed under a picture of the president. The military was showing us the advances it has made over the last few months. It then led us out to a huge display of hardware topped by a tank which has been garlanded by coconut trees... These are mainly weapons it says were taken in early March from the small town of Puthukudiruppu, towards which we're now heading. | The BBC's Charles Haviland, on an army tank heading towards the war zone I'm in an armoured vehicle, a tank, tearing along a country road. I'm being jolted around a lot, there's no chance of stopping or even slowing down. The government has just been giving a demonstration in the oppressive building [in Kilinochchi] from which the Tamil Tigers directed their operations, now much changed under a picture of the president. The military was showing us the advances it has made over the last few months. It then led us out to a huge display of hardware topped by a tank which has been garlanded by coconut trees... These are mainly weapons it says were taken in early March from the small town of Puthukudiruppu, towards which we're now heading. |
| Hours earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced the immediate despatch of the humanitarian team. | Hours earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced the immediate despatch of the humanitarian team. |
| Thousands of people are caught with the Tamil Tigers in a 12 sq km (5 sq m) area in the north of the country as the military closes in. | Thousands of people are caught with the Tamil Tigers in a 12 sq km (5 sq m) area in the north of the country as the military closes in. |
| The UN's humanitarian coordinator, Neil Buhne, said tens of thousands of people were living in camps in the northern town of Vavuniya. | The UN's humanitarian coordinator, Neil Buhne, said tens of thousands of people were living in camps in the northern town of Vavuniya. |
| "I saw infants with dysentery, malnourished children and women, untended wounds, and people dressed in the ragged clothing they've been wearing for months," the Associated Press quoted him as saying. | "I saw infants with dysentery, malnourished children and women, untended wounds, and people dressed in the ragged clothing they've been wearing for months," the Associated Press quoted him as saying. |
| Paul McMaster, a British surgeon with Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), told the BBC a "continuous stream" of patients had been arriving at the hospital in Vavuniya since the weekend. | Paul McMaster, a British surgeon with Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), told the BBC a "continuous stream" of patients had been arriving at the hospital in Vavuniya since the weekend. |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| Thousands seek refuge at a government camp. Footage courtesy of Sri Lankan Red Cross and Sri Lanka government. | Thousands seek refuge at a government camp. Footage courtesy of Sri Lankan Red Cross and Sri Lanka government. |
| He said the hospital was equipped with 400 beds but was treating nearly 2,000 patients, many of them with gunshot wounds and blast injuries. | He said the hospital was equipped with 400 beds but was treating nearly 2,000 patients, many of them with gunshot wounds and blast injuries. |
| "We are doing emergency surgery, but the hospital is completely overwhelmed," he said, with patients lying on the floor, in corridors and outside under trees and temporary shelters. | "We are doing emergency surgery, but the hospital is completely overwhelmed," he said, with patients lying on the floor, in corridors and outside under trees and temporary shelters. |
| 'Rescue operation' | 'Rescue operation' |
| On Thursday, Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa rejected a UN appeal to allow aid agencies in. | On Thursday, Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa rejected a UN appeal to allow aid agencies in. |
| View satellite images showing area in northern Sri Lanka where refugees have gathered on the beach.In pictures | View satellite images showing area in northern Sri Lanka where refugees have gathered on the beach.In pictures |
| "It's not a sensible thing at the moment," he told the BBC. | "It's not a sensible thing at the moment," he told the BBC. |
| "There is a civilian rescue operation going on in the area and allowing aid agencies inside the conflict zone is not matching with ground realities." | "There is a civilian rescue operation going on in the area and allowing aid agencies inside the conflict zone is not matching with ground realities." |
| While the government has allowed aid agencies to help those fleeing the conflict, Sri Lanka's UN ambassador says only the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Catholic charity, Caritas, have been let into the war zone itself. | While the government has allowed aid agencies to help those fleeing the conflict, Sri Lanka's UN ambassador says only the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Catholic charity, Caritas, have been let into the war zone itself. |
| The ICRC said they had evacuated 530 people on Thursday and 350 the day before, including families as well as sick and wounded people. | The ICRC said they had evacuated 530 people on Thursday and 350 the day before, including families as well as sick and wounded people. |
| On Wednesday the UN Security Council, which had been accused of inaction, called on the Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms and urged the Sri Lankan government to allow international aid agencies into areas of need. | On Wednesday the UN Security Council, which had been accused of inaction, called on the Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms and urged the Sri Lankan government to allow international aid agencies into areas of need. |
| The UN and other Western nations - including the US and the UK - have been pressing for an immediate halt to the fighting to allow time for civilians to leave the war zone safely. | The UN and other Western nations - including the US and the UK - have been pressing for an immediate halt to the fighting to allow time for civilians to leave the war zone safely. |
| The government categorically denies rebel charges that hundreds of civilians have been killed by the army, saying soldiers are only lightly armed and are trying to rescue trapped people. | The government categorically denies rebel charges that hundreds of civilians have been killed by the army, saying soldiers are only lightly armed and are trying to rescue trapped people. |
| The army says the Tamil Tigers are dressing in civilian clothing to blend in, and are firing into the zone using heavy weaponry so people will think the army is firing at them. | The army says the Tamil Tigers are dressing in civilian clothing to blend in, and are firing into the zone using heavy weaponry so people will think the army is firing at them. |
| But the BBC's Charles Haviland, near the war zone, says there is no way of verifying these reports. | But the BBC's Charles Haviland, near the war zone, says there is no way of verifying these reports. |
| The Tamil Tigers, meanwhile, deny accusations that they are holding civilians as human shields. | The Tamil Tigers, meanwhile, deny accusations that they are holding civilians as human shields. |
| MAP OF THE REGION Click here to return | MAP OF THE REGION Click here to return |
| Are you in Sri Lanka? What is your reaction to events? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you in Sri Lanka? What is your reaction to events? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |