Tamil civilians were massacred: report

The federal government has been urged to reverse its moratorium on processing Sri
Lankan refugee claims for asylum, amid fresh evidence of the wholesale slaughter of
Tamil civilians.
A report, released on Monday by the International Crisis Group (ICG), says tens of
thousands of Tamils were killed in the final days of Sri Lanka's long-running civil
war, with government forces shelling areas supposed to be safe zones.
The report - based on witness testimony, satellite images and other documentary
evidence - calls for an international investigation of atrocities committed by both
government forces and Tamil Tigers.
"Evidence gathered by the Crisis Group provides reasonable grounds to believe that
during these months the security forces intentionally and repeatedly shelled
civilians, hospitals and humanitarian operations," the report said.
"It also provides reason to believe that senior government and military officials
were aware of the massive civilian casualties due to the security forces' attacks
but failed to protect the civilian population as they were obliged to under the laws
of war."
In April, the Rudd government introduced a three-month suspension on the processing
of claims for asylum seekers arriving in Australia from Sri Lanka. It also suspended
for six months processing refugee claims for asylum seekers from Afghanistan.
The government maintains the suspensions are necessary because of evolving
circumstances in both countries.
"The Australian government believes that asylum seekers should only be granted the
right to live in Australia if they are genuinely in need of protection," Home
Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor said in an earlier statement.
On Monday, Associate Professor Jake Lynch, director of the Centre for Peace and
Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney, said the government should reverse the
suspension on Sri Lankan refugee claims in view of the ICG report.
The evidence supported claims that the country's armed forces massacred tens of
thousands of Tamil civilians, he said.
"The international community needs to lend the Tamil community of Sri Lanka a
helping hand, not turn a deaf ear," he said.
More than 100,000 Tamils remain in government-run internment camps in Sri Lanka.
Prof Lynch said the suspension was also at odds with Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade advice which warns Australians not to travel to Sri Lanka due to a state
of emergency.
"It's time for the Australian government to take a leadership role to restore human
rights within our region and reverse its barbaric suspension of refugee status for
Sri Lankans," he said.
The report follows the interception of two more boats carrying asylum seekers in as
many days.
The latest vessel, intercepted on Sunday afternoon about four nautical miles north
of the Ashmore Islands, is carrying 43 people and four crew.
While the nationalities of those on board have yet to be determined, 80 per cent of
asylum seekers coming to Australia are either from Afghanistan or Sri Lanka.