TRO Kilinochchi Situation Report

July 16-31, 2007

Online version: http://troonline.org/news/more.php?id=135

TRO SITUATION REPORT

From

TRO HEAD OFFICE KILINOCHCHI

Time period covered: 16 July 2007 – 31 July 2007

Districts: Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Vadamaradchchi East (Jaffna), Mannar & Vavuniya

Overall Situation

• On 27 July 2007 a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) jet bombed a Church and School in Alampil. The students at the school were taking an exam at the time.  One girl was wounded and other students ran away from the School.
• The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) attacked fishing boats in the Alampil Sea injuring two fishermen whose names are given below:
  1. Thanapalasingam Suman:  Age 22                             
  2. Thabapalasingam Manokaran: Age 27
• The Mannar-Uyilankulam road, a land route to Mannar town for the civilians of Manthai West Division has been closed from 20 July 2007 by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA).
• There has been continuous, heavy multi-barrel artillery shelling at the border areas of Semamadhu, Palamoodai, Muhamallai, Puliyankulam, Mannar, Adampan, and Manalaru areas in Vanni. This shelling has destroyed useful trees and civilian properties such as houses, animals, vehicles and other buildings.
• Fisheries sector in the Mannar District has been suffering and not able to go to sea due to the acute shortage of fuel due to restrictions on the amount of fuel supplied  to Mannar by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL)
• Patients in Government hospitals (Out-Patient Dept) in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi District have been seriously affected due to shortages of medicine due to restrictions and delays in transportation by the GoSL.
• Children and pregnant mothers of Vanni have been suffering especially as a result of the acute shortage of medicines caused by restrictions imposed by GoSL.
• Kfir fast attack aircraft bombarded Pooneryn Village in Kilinochchi District and Oddusuddan, Manavalan Pattu, Kattsilai Madhu School in Mullaitivu District. At the time of the bombardment the school children were taking their 2nd term exam in the school. Mr. Selvaraja's house was also destroyed
• Hospital and rest cottage of Puliyankulam checkpoint were destroyed by SLA Multi-Barrel shelling in Vavuniya District.
• Food and fuel prices are increasing in the Vanni Region, making it very difficult for the majority of the population who find it very difficult to meet their basic needs. Prices of essential food items and fuel:

• The National Leader's Fund provided one hundred thousand rupees (Rs. 100,000) to Premathas Premkumar, 14, who lost both of his legs in a Kfir bombing of Alampil in Mullaitivu on 11 July.
• HUDEC provided a total of Rs. 10,000 at Rs. 5,000 for each person who lost family members in the Kfir jet bombardment of Alampil in Mullaitivu. The Trade Union of Mullaitivu also granted Rs. 4,000 at  Rs. 2000 per family.

MULLAITIVU DISTRICT

• This District includes the Hanukkah, Puthukudiyiruppu, Oddusuddan, and Maratinpattu project divisions. These divisions consist of Coastal and Agriculture villages which have been negatively affected by the prolonged war and Tsunami in 2004. The most affected village in the District is Kallapadu.
• The majority of the people of Mullaitivu District are engaged in fishing, cultivation, animal husbandry and business as their livelihood activities. These livelihoods are severely impacted by SLAF air strikes, naval attacks and the closure of the A9 road at Omanthai. The population has also increased due to the arrival of displaced people from the East, Mannar, Vavuniya and Jaffna District as shown in table below.
• Currently, attacks by the SL Armed Forces have been increasing and students' education has suffered due to interruptions of examinations due to attacks on schools.

TRO provides relief for IDPs and development work through its partner Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in the following areas:

• Thunukkai                            - PTRO, PTDO
• Oddusuddan                         - MRRO, MKDO
• Puthukkudiyiruppu             - TRRO, NEDRO, SEDO
• Martin Pattu                         - MWPS
• Manthai East                       - PTDO, SDO

IDPs Details in Mullaitivu

TRO has been leading the relief work with its local partners, the UN, NGOs and INGOs to the IDPs during the last two weeks of work. Details are given below.

Non food Relief Item (NFRI)

• TRRO in partnership with ICRC provided jungle timber and cadjans for five families who were affected by SLAF kfir attack on Alampil in Mullaitivu District.
• TRO through MKDO provided a temporary house to a family who lost their house in a SLAF kfir attack at Manavalanpaddu.
• TRO provided clothes and NFRI for 14 families who were displaced from Jaffna, Trincomalee and Batticaloa.

Temporary Shelter

KILINOCHCHI  DISTRICT

The district consists of Poonagary, Karachchi and Kandavalai project divisions. Livelihoods in the Kilinochchi District include farming, fishing, small business and Government sector employment.  However there have been fears of SLAF air strikes and the situation is tense.

The Poonagary division has been affected by war numerous times over the past 25 years. Civilians have been displaced to other divisions in Kilinochchi district due to recent shelling and bombing attacks by the SLA and SLAF.  These attacks and the closure of the A9 highway have hampered the transportation of farm products/outputs via the A9 highway to the South and East.

There have been a number of local organizations that TRO has partnered with to provide relief work for IDPs and vulnerable people in the villages. They are:

• Poonagary            - PDRO, PMDO, KPDO
• Karachchi             - KDRRO, KERO, NEDRO, ADO, RRDO
• Kandavalai           - KNDO

IDPs Details of Kilinochchi District

TRO has been leading the relief work with its local partners, UN, NGOs and INGOs to the IDPs during the last two weeks of work. Details are given below.

Non food Relief Item (NFRI)

• TRO through PDRO provided jungle timber, cadjans and cash to a shop as livelihood assistance for a family who were displaced from Poonagary to Mudkompan areas.

Temporary Shelter

Transportation

• People at Sekkalai have been affected with transportation difficulties when displaced from Poonagary.

Social Welfare project

• TRO through KERO provided cadjan for a vulnerable family at Vaddakachchi.
• TRO through KDRRO provided material to build temporary house for a vulnerable family at Thirunagar in Kilinochchi district.
• TRO through NEDRO provided cash payment for two vulnerable families at Uthayanagar and Ananthapuram.

Drinking water supply

• TRO through PMDO distributed drinking water to Elavur, Valaippadu, Palavi and Periyadipadu in Kilinochchi District.

Preschool activities

• PDRO in partnership with World Vision distributed Milk food packets for 80 children in Uthaya preschool.
• TRO- PSEDC conducted an exhibition of Preschools functioning in the district.

VADAMARADCHCHI EAST (JAFFNA DISTRICT)

Vadamarachchi East is a part of the Jaffna district, it has coastal villages such as Maruthankeny, Uduthurai, Thalaiyady, Aliyavalai, Vettilaikeny, Kaddaikkadu, Pookkaruppu, Kevil and Chundikulam which are under LTTE Administration.  Many civilians of these villagers died in the tsunami and a large number of properties such as houses, fishing boats & boat engines were destroyed. Civilians were affected once again with the recent return to war and the ensuing artillery, multi-barrel and Kfir attacks by the Sri Lanka Armed Forces.  The population has been displaced and lacks the basic amenities such as shelter, food, water, and medicine.

Projects being Implemented for IDPs by TRO District Offices and local NGOs and CBOs supported by TRO

Transportation

• TRO began the renovation of 18 km of road from Kervil to Nallathannithoduvai used by people from Vadamaradchchi East who are now living at Chundikulam - 8 Km road work is already completed.

Medical service

• There has been no government hospital service to the area, only the Thileepan Medical Mobile service. As a result pregnant mothers, babies, the ill and the injured have suffered due to lack of accessible medical service.

Drinking water supply

• IDPs do not have adequate drinking water.
• TRO constructed an open dug well due to the urgent need for drinking water at Poonaithoduvai in Vadamarachchi East.

Preschool Activities

• There were four temporary preschools functioning in the area and TRO has opened another temporary preschool  on 31.07.2007 in the Poonaithoduvai area to cope with the additional IDPs.
• TRO conducted an assessment of preschool children in Vadamarachchi East

Needs of IDPs who are in Chundikulam Village

• Temporary shelter
• Temporary toilets
• Wells for drinking water
• Temporary school buildings/structures
• Temporary toilet & water facilities for Schools

MANNAR DISTRICT

Mannar District is divided into two parts: the government-controlled areas and the LTTE-controlled areas. The people of Manthai West & Madhu are in LTTE administrated divisions. These people were affected during previous military operations such as "Edipala operation" and "Ranagos operation." The civilians in the area have been engaged in fishing & farming for their livelihood. Civilians fled the area after the recent SLA attempted advances and SLA air strikes. The 02 July 2007 bombardment of a civilian cottage in the Padakuthurai – Iluppaikadavai village in Mannar district triggered the displacement of a large number of IDPs to safer areas.

There is one organization, IDRO, for the Madhu division and two, MWDO and NEDRO for Manthai West Division who are engaged in relief work with TRO's support.

IDPs Details in Mannar divisions.

TRO works as a program partner with local NGOs ,  INGOs and UN Organizations for IDP assistance and support

Non Food Relief Items (NFRI)

• IDRO in partnership with SCF provided NFRI for 53 displaced families at Periyamadhu in Mannar District.

Temporary Shelter

Education activities

• TRO constructed two temporary school buildings/structures for displaced students.
• IDRO in partnership with SCF distributed equipment for 24 school children at Periyamadhu.

Water & Sanitation

• TRO conducted a health awareness program for the displaced people through IDRO.

Drinking water supply

• TRO Identified 118 wells in need of repair and cleaning, currently the work on 43 wells has been completed by TRO.
• TRO through NEDRO distributed drinking water to the Iluppaikadavai, Anthoniyarpuram, Thevapitty areas.

Social welfare project

• TRO through IDRO provided milk food packets for 02 children who were separated from their parents.
• TRO through IDRO provided dry food items for 10 vulnerable families.

Needs for IDPs

• Toilets                               - 200
• Temporary shelter             - 300
• Temporary preschool         - 01
• NFRI                                     
• Assistance for home gardening

VAVUNIYA DISTRICT

Vavuniya district is divided into two parts: the government-controlled areas and the LTTE-controlled areas. Vavuniya North, in the LTTE-controlled areas, consists of Nedunkeny division and Puliyamkulam areas.

The civilians of Vavuniya North have been affected by military activities such as multi-barrel artillery attacks, air strikes and claymore mine attacks by SLA Deep Penetration Units (DPU). Currently the civilians have fled from their homes to safer areas; as a result the schools are not functioning. 

IDPs Details in Vavuniya

Projects implemented by NDRO and VDRO for IDPs

• VDRO in partnership with SCF provided NFRI for 127 families who were in Mannakulam and Periyakulam.

Temporary shelter

Social welfare project

• TRO provided cadjans for 12 vulnerable families at Nedunkeny in Vavuniya North.
• TRO through VDRO provided 90 lactogen 1 & 2 milk food packets each for 45 malnourished children under the age of 1.5 years. 
• TRO through NDRO distributed cadjans for 17 vulnerable families.

Preschool activities

• TRO - PSEDC conducted an assessment of preschools which are functioning in Vavuniya North Division on 29th and 30th of July 2007.

Water & Sanitation

• NDRO and OXFAM conducted health awareness program for families in Periyakulam and Kudiyiruppu.

Special Project

Medical Support by the International Coordinating Unit in TRO

Medical services for the sick in the Vanni are inadequate due to restrictions and a lack of adequate medical equipment, medicines and medical personnel. As a result, the International Coordinating Unit of TRO made arrangements to provide grants to those who cannot access or afford medical assistance.

Details of Patients who were assisted by ICU

White Pigeon

White Pigeon Technical Institute of Prosthesis is assisting those who have lost limbs due to mines, UXO or natural causes since 1983.

Details are below the work over the last months