The fourteenth batch of 488 patients and civilians was evacuated on board "MV Green Ocean" on the 26th March 2009. The evacuation of patients and civilians trapped in LTTE clutches in the un-cleared areas in Mullaithivu is being carried out under the ICRC flag. Sri Lanka Navy is providing safe passage for evacuees on humanitarian grounds.

The patients among the evacuees, upon disembarkation at Pulmudai, were provided with emergency medical treatment by naval doctors and were rushed to the field hospital in Pulmudai and the General hospital in Padaviya by naval personnel for further treatment. Elaborate arrangements have been made to treat the sick and the wounded evacuees once they reach cleared areas. Hospitals have been equipped with adequate stocks of essential drugs and specialist medical personnel are assigned to treat the sick and the wounded as they are transferred to hospitals.

The fourteenth batch consisted of 157 adult males, 216 adult females and 115 children in total. Among them were 100 male and 63 female patients needing medical treatment. The evacuees had been languishing in pain and fear due to the LTTE's adamant stance to hold all civilians captive in the un-cleared areas as human shields despite the repeated appeals by the International Community to free all civilians to arrive in safe areas immediately.   

The Navy, as part of its humanitarian operations, has put in place a number of comprehensive evacuation measures to facilitate the evacuation process. Naval personnel and vessels along with stand-by rescue and medical teams are on special deployment in the North-eastern seas for assisting Tamil civilians fleeing from LTTE clutches.

Courtesy: Defence.lk