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Northeast situation report on 1 November

Major offensive by Sri Lankan military into Vellaveli: On 31 October afternoon, Sri Lankan military in five military vehicles moved from the Vellaveli-Kampiyatru camp and moved four Kms into LTTE area of Vellaveli. Sri Lankan military sustaining some casualties and losses withdrew back to their original positions.

Vaharai artillery shelling: On Monday night from 8.00pm till 5.00am in the morning Sri Lankan military fired artillery shells into Vaharai area. Although no one was hurt, the fear caused by the artillery shells exploding in civilian areas was high. Five houses were damaged. Vaharai civilian areas have come under constant shelling from the Sri Lankan military most of last week while the delegations from the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government were engaged in talks in Geneva. A few weeks ago, on 6 October, the Sri Lankan military together with its Karuna-paramilitary group launched a major offensive and attempted to move into Vaharai. It was repulsed back.

Vaharai lies between the Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts. 50,000 refugees from Trincomalee are living in Vaharai. These refugees were displaced from Sampur and Muthur due to the Sri Lankan military shelling and offensives over a period of six months from April 2006. The largest number of these refugees displaced when the Sri Lankan military occupied the LTTE administered area of Sampur in September 2006.

Vaharai was already badly effected by the 2004 tsunami and was not equipped to receive another 50,000 refugees. Most of the new refugees were forced to live under trees.

Sri Lankan military has blocked access to INGOs to Vaharai.

Mannar

Mannar fisher attacked by Sri Lankan Navy: Mannar fishermen from Mullikulam and Pookulam areas came under Sri Lankan Navy attack on Tuesday morning. Ten fishermen were fishing in the seas between Mannar and Puttlam when the Sri Lankan Navy began firing at the fishermen. The fisher left the boats, nets and their catch and began swimming to the shore to save their lives.

Jaffna

Town: On Wednesday, Sri Lankan military blocked all roads leading into Jaffna town and everyone entering the town was subjected to severe checking. Large number troops in excess of the usual numbers were brought in to conduct the operation which lasted from 6.00am till 12 noon, effecting the normal business of the main town of the 600,000 people in Jaffna.

A9 closure-medicine: Pharmacies are reported to be empty in Jaffna. Although the district medical officer took action to bring in some essential medicine, there is shortage of even the most common medicine, Panadol. Some pharmacy owners exploiting the shortage, and trying make excess profit is making the situation even worse.

A9 closure- transport: Most public transport has come to a halt due to fuel shortage. Some report that almost 90% of the services are not operating due to the fuel shortage. School bus services are also irregular and most students who have to travel by bus to school are not attending school due to this.

A9 closure- postal service: 700 postal sacks arrived in Jaffna from Trincomalee by ship on Monday. Postal service sources in Jaffna say that there were 2000 individual parcels in the 700 sacks and most of it is parcels of food items send by relatives to the people in Jaffna. The parcels were all in bad shape. Most of the parcels are wet and ripped. The addresses on many of the parcels are damaged and illegible. Many of the food items in the parcels have gone rotten. The postal service is uncertain as to what actions should be taken regarding the parcels.

01 November 2006

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