More families flee from SLN controlled Jaffna islets

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 May 2006, 12:56 GMT]
Following the Allaipiddy assassinations and the consequent evacuation of the village by its entire population, more than ten families from its neighbouring villages Velanai and Suruvil fled Sunday in fear seeking refuge in schools and churches in Jaffna, said sources in Jaffna. The Jaffna islets are under the total control of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN).

Meanwhile, another 25 families from Allaipiddy reached Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled Vanni Sunday joining the 28 families who left Jaffna Saturday, making a total of 53 families constituting 250 members, added the sources.

The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers at the Muhamalai Check point on the way to Vanni turned back half the families Saturday demanding written permission from the Government Agent (GA) Jaffna to move into Vanni with all their possessions.

On Sunday also the SLA troopers at Muhamalai did not permit the Vanni bound families demanding GA's letter and Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Mr. Nadarajah Raviraj on being approached by the families intervened to procure the required documents from the Jaffna GA enabling the families to travel on, added the sources.

The remaining families in the Jaffna islet villages are getting ready to evacuate in fear of the SLN troops and its paramilitaries, said sources.

Jaffna GA had instructed Regional Secretary Jaffna to issue cooked food to the Allaipiddy refugees staying in schools and churches in Jaffna who are also being given assistance by humanitarian organisations including World Vision, said sources.