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Mullaithivu Government Agent laments shelling, route closure

GA Convoy waiting for days to go to Vavuniya

The closure of the route to Vavuniya had prevented the transfer of serious patients from Vanni to the Vauniya hospital. For the last four days patients have been brought to the checkpoint in ambulances for transfer to Vavuniya and were turned back. Patients who are already seriously ill are psychologically affected by this repeated frustration.

The transport of essential items has also come to a standstill due to the route closure. The GA said the 80 trucks with essential food items that should have come into Vanni have not arrived. Ten of these trucks loaded with vegetables have been waiting for seven days. The massive displacement and the abandonment of cultivated plots have created severe shortage of vegetables in Vanni and thus the need to bring in vegetables to Vanni. The World Food Program convoy with relief items for the IDPs for the second week of the month must also arrive in Vanni before 8 January. The GA expressed fear whether these will arrive in time for distribution to the IDPs for whom this is the only source of food.

The GA also said that her officers who have gone to Colombo on duty are also stranded and as a result end of year reports remain uncompleted.

Worsening the situation is the constant shelling around the Mullaithivu District Secretariat. She said that her officers are unable carry out their work due to persistent shelling.

07 January 2009

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