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Destruction of the Mannar economy

Mannar is the Northwest district of the Tamil homeland. The entire population is Tamil speaking. The majority of the people follow the Catholic religion and substantial proportions are Muslims and Hindus.

According to figures published by the Government Agent office of Mannar, more than 22, 000 civilians in LTTE parts of Mannar are displaced due to the continuous shelling of the Sri Lanka military. In fact 22,332 civilians from 5938 families have been displaced.

SLA shelling is continuing towards Manthai west, Adampan, Andankulam, Periyamadhu and Pallamadhu areas in the Mannar district. The civilians of these areas have been displaced to Kilinochchi and Mannar border villages.

The number displaced in the Vavuniya district due to similar shelling by the SLA totals 10,302 civilians from 3071 families. More than 90% of the people displaced so far depend on farming for livelihood. When the people displace they are forced to leave the farms behind. This is not only a loss of livlihhod for the displaced people but also a major destructive attack on the economy of Mannar.

Over and above this the Kaddukkarai water tank in the Mannar district, the second largest tank in the island, is occupied by the Sinhala forces that is totally inimical to the local people. As such the 7000 acres of farmland that is irrigated by this water from this water tank are uncultivated, further aggravating the farming situation in Mannar. The destruction of the people’s economy that is mainly agricultural by the occupation of the water tank thus denying it to the people is huge.

One could reflect back and compare this to the more popularized closure of the Mavilaru sluice gate in Trincomalee last year by disgruntled Trincomalee Tamils which resulted in the GoSL launching a massive military attack with the pretext of opening the sluice gate. Indeed the military assault did not stop even after the sluice gate was opened with SLMM monitors presence.

The restriction on fuel to LTTE areas is now well entrenched and the international observers remain silent on this too. Is it that hard to imagine how the economy of mainly agriculture and fishing would be affected by such restriction on fuel? Fuel to run the fishing boats, fuel to run the pumps to irrigate the farms and fuel to market the goods are all denied to the people.

The limitations placed on the functioning of the health service and the education of children with severe fuel restriction is of course another aspect to the destruction of a people.

21 November 2007

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