2000 Tamils seek refuge in Kappalthurai School

[TamilNet, Monday, 17 April 2006, 14:34 GMT]
About two thousand members from four hundred Tamil families of resettled Tamil village Kappalthurai have sought refuge in Kappalthurai government Tamil school. They fled from their houses when soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army assaulted some of them following the claymore mine blast that killed three troopers of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Saturday night, sources said.

Kappalthurai village is located along Trincomalee-Kandy main road.

Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee district parliamentarian Monday morning visited the refugees in Kappalthurai School. Victims told him that they would not return to their houses until the law enforcement authorities ensure their safety, sources said.

Meanwhile Trincomalee Town and Gravets Divisional Secretariat began Monday supplying cooked meals for three days to the refugees. Several non-governmental organizations also have started sending relief and other assistance to the displaced families who have been sheltered in schools in Anpuvallipuram, Varothiayanagar and other public buildings, sources said.

Trincomalee town and its suburbs did not return to normal Monday, the first working day after the Tamil and Sinhala New Year. Offices of central government departments, provincial and local councils closed down after an hour due to the absence of ninety nine percent employees failed to report for work. The employees reported for work also left their offices staying for an hour, sources said.

Few shops opened in the morning put up their shutters by noon and thereafter most of the roads became deserted. Transport service did not come to normal, as people were afraid of travel by bus, sources said.

More police have been brought down to Trincomalee town from outstations and are deployed on duty along with soldiers of the Sri Lanka Navy.