Hospitals in Northern Sri Lanka packed with unclaimed bodies of LTTE rebels

Jan 18, Vavuniya: The morgue in the Vavuniya hospital in Northern Sri Lanka is packed with the bodies of the slain LTTE cadres, hospital officials said.

According to the sources 31 unclaimed LTTE bodies are lying at the hospital morgue currently. Security forces have handed over another 12 LTTE bodies including five of female Tigers to the hospital this evening.

Vavuniya hospital officials said the morgue of the hospital is now filled to the capacity with the LTTE bodies.

The hospital officials meanwhile have buried 49 unclaimed LTTE bodies few days ago upon the approval from the Courts.

Reportedly dead bodies of the LTTE cadres are piling up in other hospitals in the region also including Trincomalee, Mannar and Anuradhapura hospitals.

More than 75 bodies of LTTE cadres have so far been buried with the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) last week in cemeteries of Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Mannar and Anuradhapura Districts as no LTTE officials have come forward to claim the bodies.

The ICRC resumed its transport duties on Friday (16) after a brief interruption due to the unavailability of security guarantee from both sides. As a result of this situation passage between the government and LTTE controlled areas was interrupted for few days and some missions such as exchanging of dead bodies did not take place.