Situation Report - Jaffna Peninsula

30th March 2007
    
GENERAL

• Thefts have been reported from 6 temples in Kaithady in the night of the 28th.  Golden plates normally laid under the statues of the deities had been stolen having removed the particular statues.
• S.J.Sellathurai, senior grade Grama Officer (GS) attached to the Jaffna Divisional Secretariat was shocked by the atrocities of the armed gang which forced their way into the house on Racca lane and burgled all valuables.  The shocked GS was admitted to hospital for treatment to heart attack and had succumbed to the attack.

EDUCATION

• School students of Jaffna peninsula and the University students of Jaffna are facing a severe scarcity of stationary. 

• Nutritional food items and medicines are yet in short supply and the public are very much inconvenienced as they cannot afford the prevailing high costs. 

 
DISPLACEMENT      

• Displaced life is still continuing in some areas.

• Unidentified armed men have fired at a canter vehicle which was transporting illegally excavated sand in Mali junction area in Vadamaradchy.  Balakrishnan Niranjan of Thunnalai, the driver of the vehicle was seriously wounded and admitted to hospital.
• Complaints have been lodged with the Human Rights Commission that Sinnathurai Rajendra (34) of Ilanthaikulam Veethy Columbuthrai had went out for shopping at about 6 a.m. on the 25th has not returned home and is missing.  Kunasekaran Kunakaran (20) of Bharathy Veethy, Chankanai has been missing from the 3rd of this month having gone out from the house and not returned back and is missing.
• Ledchumanan Nishanthan (23) of Navalar Road, was abducted along with the van which was driven by him on Kachcheri-Nallur road.  The van was found abandoned in Thaddatheru junction of Kankesanthurai road.  It is reported that one of his slippers was found in the abandoned vehicle.
• Vyramuthu Sivaganeshathasan (59) of Kollankaladdy and his wife Sarojini (54) were shot dead by unidentified armed gang while they were asleep in their house in Urumpirai at about 8.30 p.m. on the 28th.  As this was in an isolated position the neighbours became aware of this only in the morning.  A baby girl of two years found hugging the dead grandmother was removed by its father.  It is understood that the murdered person is an affluent trader and two vans were found in the premises.  The jewels had been robbed according to the witness at the magisterial inquiry.
• Sivalingam Indran (34) of Karaveddy had recently come from Tricomalee and has been reported missing from the 19th.

 
CURFEW HOURS:

• Curfew hours have been changed in the Jaffna peninsula since 22nd of March.  Curfew has been imposed from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. in Valigamam, Island, Vadamaradchy and Thenmaradchy areas.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

28th March 2007
       
GENERAL
 

• Thenmaradchy and Vadamaradchy areas vibrated with shockwaves created by continued shelling aimed towards Iyakkachchy, Maruthankerny and Vettilaikerny from morning till evening on the 27th.  The vibration was felt all over the peninsula and the multi-barrel shelling created tension among the people.
• Postal department sources disclosed that stamps requirements of the peninsula have been brought.  Stamps of all values except Rs.100 and 50/- and stamped envelopes had been brought.

• School students of Jaffna peninsula and the University students of Jaffna are facing a severe scarcity of stationary. 

• Nutritional food items and medicines are yet in short supply and the public are very much inconvenienced as they cannot afford the prevailing high costs. 

• Displaced life is still continuing in some areas.

• Murugesu Sangarapillai (56) of Kalapoomy, Karainagar was shot dead by unknown persons who have come by motor cycle while he was standing near Sangarathai post office..
• Gopalapillai Ilankumaran (27) of Velanai is reported missing after he went out from his house on the 23rd according to a complain lodged with the Human Rights Commission. 
• Nadarasah Vimaleswaran (27) and Sivanathan Mathivathanan (23) both from Punguduthivu were reported missing after both of them left for Velanai and were returning back on the 22nd.  Their relatives have lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission in this regard.
• T.Chandrakanth (23) of Kandy Road, Jaffna was shot dead by unknown persons while he was standing in front of a tea boutique near the Jaffna Secretariat.

 
CURFEW HOURS:

• Curfew hours have been changed in the Jaffna peninsula since 22nd of March.  Curfew has been imposed from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. in Valigamam, Island, Vadamaradchy and Thenmaradchy areas.