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It was
under
the
pressure
of the
LTTE
that we
were
giving
exaggerated
and
contradictory
figures
about
the
civilian
casualties.
There
were
civilian
casualties
and
deaths
in the
final
stages
of the
battle.
But not
the
exaggerated
numbers
of
civilian
deaths
and
casualties
we were
forced
to give
under
pressure
of the
LTTE,
said
five
doctors
who were
serving
in the
No Fire
Zone on
the
final
days of
the
military
operation
to free
Tamil
civilians.
“Many
civilians
were
killed
and
wounded
as LTTE
opened
fire at
them
when
they
tried to
flee
from the
Tiger
grip.
And also
they
were got
caught
in the
crossfire
between
the LTTE
and the
Security
Forces
once the
civilians
tried to
escape
from the
LTTE
during
those
dark
hours.
Even
at the
last
stages
of the
battle
there
were
civilian
deaths
due to
the
explosion
of shell
loaded
trucks
of the
LTTE. We
saw the
dead
bodies
of the
civilians
due to
these
explosions
but not
due to
the
shelling
by the
Security
Forces.
There
was no
room for
the
civilians
to
escape”,
they
added.
Dr.
Sivapalan
who was
attached
to the
Ponnambalam
Memorial
Hospital
in
Puthukudiyiruppu
and to
the
Medical
Wing of
the LTTE,
Dr.
Weerakuttipullai
Shanmugaraja,
Director,
General
Hospital
Mullaitivu,
Dr.
Thurairaja
Vartharaja,
Regional
Director
Health
Services,
Mullaitvu,
Dr.
Thangamuttu
Sathyamoorthy,
Acting
Medical
Superintendent,
General
Hospital
Kilinochchi
and Dr.
Kathirvel
Ilancheliyan
Vallavan,
MOH
Mullaitivu
who are
now
under
CID
custody,
said so
attending
to a
press
conference
at the
Media
Centre
for
National
Security
in
Colombo,
yesterday,
July 08.
They
also
regretted
their
errors
in
dispatching
false
and
exaggerated
figures
to
certain
media
organizations
about
civilian
casualties,
due to
pressure
exerted
by the
LTTE.
“We were
forced
to stay
in the
LTTE
controlled
areas by
the LTTE
and were
not
allowed
to enter
into
Government
controlled
areas”,
they
further
said.
The
five
doctors
also
said
that
they
would
have to
admit
that
there is
severe
shortage
of
medicine
in
Government
run
hospitals
because
the LTTE
wanted
the
medical
supplies
the
Government
was
sending
for
their
use.
“The
Government
was
sending
us
medical
supplies
until
May 08,
a week
before
we were
able to
escape
from
Mullaivaikkal
area”,
said Dr.
Sathyamoorthy.
Dr.
Shanmugaraja
and Dr.
Thurairaja
said
there
was no
shortage
of food
in the
No Fire
Zone if
not for
the LTTE
taking
charge
of the
food
stocks
and
releasing
only a
small
quantity
for the
civilians.
“There
was not
a single
death
due to
starvation
in the
No Fire
Zone”,
said Dr.
Thurairaja.
The
doctors
also
denied
the LTTE
propaganda
about
destruction
caused
to
Government
hospitals
due to
Security
Forces
shelling
saying
it was a
stage
managed
drama by
the LTTE.
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