
Civilian killed in aerial bombing
A 32 year old father of two children, Muruhesu Rathaneswaran, was killed when Sri Lankan Air Force bombarded Visuvamadu in Kilinochchi on 22 August. Two civilians, a 60 year old man and a 32 year old mother were injured and admitted to Tharmapuram hospital. Three houses, a vehicle, and several productive trees were destroyed.
In the meantime, people from Poonahari in the northwest coast, who had displaced southwards to Jeyapuram two years ago due to SLA shelling, who again displaced two weeks ago back to Poonahari, were forced to displace yet again three days ago by SLA shelling from Kilali and these people are presently moving towards Kilinochchi town. The rain is also putting the displaced people under great hardships because many still do not have a decent roof over their heads. During the heavy rain at night two days ago, the displaced people sat all night holding anything over their heads. The health services in Vanni have also suffered a lot due to the displacement of the hospitals. Mallavi hospital, for example, displaced one month ago and was functioning in Akkarayan among the displaced people and it was forced out again together with the Akkarayan hospital two weeks ago and both are presently functioning in Kilinochchi in the old Kilinochchi hospital building. A local health NGO is presently conducting mobile health services in the refugee camps and it is also conducting inspections of the sight to prevent disease epidemics.
25 August 2008
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