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Humanitarian situation report on Northeast – 9 September 2006

Sri Lankan government has placed many parts of the Northeast under information blackout and essential items blockade for almost a month. The intensity of the blackout and blockade was raised to acute level from 11th August. The most serious situation exists in Jaffna peninsula and the eastern coast of Trincomalee of Eechilampaththu and Kathiraveli. However, the rest of the Northeast has also been under blackout and blockade in various degrees affecting many humanitarian projects.

In particular the freezing of the TRO funds must be seen as an aspect of this blackout and blockade. Following the signing of the CFA, TRO was registered as a charity in Sri Lanka. TRO accounts have been under the direct scrutiny of the Sri Lankan authorities and no irregularities were reported by the Sri Lankan authorities. How can a government freeze the funds of a charity organization that has been acknowledged around the world for its excellent, uncorrupt and efficient humanitarian work? Perhaps that is exactly the reason for the freezing of the funds.

Trincomalee: The refugees in eastern Trincomalee have faced the most intense shelling and bombing for the longest time. It is also the same region that has been blacked out and blockaded. No one seems to be able to break the Sri Lankan government determination to punish the civilians with starvation.

Jaffna: The Jaffna Government Agent, Ganesh, has issued a plea for food and other essential items to be brought to Jaffna immediately. All stocks are empty he said in his appeal.

Mannar: Mannar Political Head, Iniyavan, informed the ICRC recently of the refugee situation in Mannar. More than 2000 families have displaced recently due to Sri Lankan military shelling. Most of them are staying in Madhu church. However, welfare organizations are struggling to provide relief for the displaced due to the blockade by the military. Iniyavan appealed to the ICRC to assist the refugees.

Batticaloa: Voices of Batticaloa refugees recorded in this website recount how they were chased from their homes by the Sri Lankan military. These refugees are also without shelters or food. Among them are one month old babies.

Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu: These districts also are subjected to blackout and blockage and people are facing shortages of food items that are usually brought from outside. The hospitals in these districts have appealed that their medicine stocks have been depleted. Fuel shortage is a huge problem faced by people and offices.

It seems if one can blackout such situations from the international media then no one needs to be concerned if people die of starvation. Tamil civilians in Northeast, it seems, do not count as equal human beings to those in the rest of the island. Sri Lankan observers need to be acutely aware of the limitations in the news reports of the international media as a result of the blackout and blockade.

09 September 2006

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