By Paul Newman (With reports from
Mannar, Vavuniya and Trincomallee )
The all-out attack by the armed forces
on Tuesday (25/04/06) has displaced 3,000 families from Koonitheevu, Samboor,
Illakandai, Anagudu, Santhosapuram, Kataiparichan, Ganeshapuram. In Pooneri
176 families have been displaced, at Illangaithuraimugam 215 families (total
of 945 people) have been displaced since Wednesday and have been living
in common shelters. At Vupurachenanvali more than 1,500 people have been
forced to flee, the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) has sheltered
them.
As the airforce resumed its aerial bombings, the navy and the artillery too continued to bomb civilian targets leading to further displacements
The other displaced are not as lucky as these people as NGOs and aid workers have been unable to reach these people and there is a growing shortage of food supply and other essentials. As the routes to the LTTE controlled areas are blocked, movements of people and goods have been stopped causing untold misery to the people.
On 21/4/06 more than 2,500 families were displaced from Malarchenai, Maligaitheevu, Parvathipuram, Keelivetti, Meankammam, Irudayapuram, Ariyanmangeni, Thambucolony etc. These people have been sheltered in schools and there have been no efforts on the part of the government to help them. At 09.30 this morning 11 soldiers were killed in a claymore mine attack on an army convoy. The attack was allegedly undertaken by the LTTE. Despite these disturbances the only consoling factor was the reopening of the national highway A9, branded as the road to peace and the lifeline of the north. The situation is worsening as the attacks by the armed forces continue in an undeclared war clearly violating the Cease-fire agreement. If the situation continues to remain the same an all out war is inevitable and the glimmering hopes of peace stand shattered.