INDIA'S SHAMELESS SILENCE

It has been months of the military offensive in Sri Lanka, the Tamil Tigers have lost almost all the territory they held...down we are told to the last handful of fighters.

The Military operation has seen thousands of soldiers die, thousands of rebel fighters are reported dead too.

However, the most distressing aspect of the ongoing military action is the killing and wounding of thousands of Tamil civilians who are stranded in the rebel held areas.

The UN estimates that 4500 civilians have dies in just the last three months, over 12,000 have been injured...the numbers are growing at an alarming rate every day. Yet the international community and more so India are silent.

The Indian foreign minister called for an extended ceasefire and said civilian casualties in the "so called no-fire zone" are "unacceptable."

But even as the Sri Lankan army ignores this appeal and goes in for a final assault into a 7 sq kilometer area filled with at least 50,000 civilians...the Indian government is shamelessly silent. A silence that has emboldened the Sri Lankan government and given legitimacy to its actions.

Governments of the UK, USA, Australia and Canada seem to be doing more...a shame again considering that India is home to over 6.6 crore Tamils.

A shame considering that Tamils hold key positions in the current Congress led government in the center.

Even the prospect of a crushing defeat in the upcoming polls does not seem to sway them into action.

Human Rights groups have called the reckless military action a war crime. When the facts of these dark days come to light India will regret its inaction.

This is the time for India to rise above petty considerations of diplomacy and strategic interest. This is the time for India to stand up and be heard.
Time for it to force a stop to the mindless killing of thousands of Tamil men, women and children

Time for India to tell President Rajapakse that the first priority for any responsible government should be towards its citizens.

A delay in its military offensive against the LTTE by a few weeks will cost much less than the killing of hundreds of its own Tamil civilians.

Any military offensive should start only after all Tamil civilians in the area are evacuated to safety.

The Sri Lankan government says it wants to push ahead with its final assault on the Tamil tigers despite the apparent human cost. It says it will ensure that there are no civilian casualty.

But can the world trust the Sri Lankan army ? 4500 civilians have died already in just the last three months, despite assurances that civilian casualties will be kept at a minimum.

The army blames the LTTE for civilian death, they say the rebels are firing at and killing fleeing civilians. They allege the rebels are using suicide bombers to scare civilians into staying on in territory held by them...for use as human shields.

The rebels deny any hand in the death of civilians...but can a state absolve itself of the responsibility it has towards the safety of its civilians in a conflict zone.

India's silence is a direct signal to the Sri Lankan government to push ahead with the carnage. History will never forgive India for its silence at this crucial hour, too many precious lives have been lost already.