SLA blocks food convoy to Vaharai

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 August 2006, 20:51 GMT]
S.Jeyananthamoorthy, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Member of Parliament for Batticaloa District, accused the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) for stopping food convey of NGOs to the Internally Displaced People (IDP) in the LTTE controlled Vaharai area and worsening the already dire situation prevailing in Vaharai for essential supplies for the IDPs. Eight lorries carrying food and other essentials were barred from entering Vaharai by soldiers of the Kajuwatta Camp on the orders from Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence (MoD), civil society sources said.

Around 35000 Tamils, including children, elderly, and pregnant women, displaced from Muttur East area due to the continuous shelling by the SLA, have taken refuge in Vaharai area.

Since the IDPs have neither adequate basic facilities nor food, the local NGOs tried to get food items for them in 8 Lorries on Wednesday.

The SLA in Kajuwatta Camp stopped the convey stating no food can be taken to the LTTE controlled area.

The TNA MP took up the matter with Colonel Gunawardane, the Commander of the 23-2 Brigade and was told that the order came from the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and that he will allow the convoy only if a new order comes from the Ministry.

Mr Jeyananthamoorty tried several times over the phone to raise the matter with Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse and Secretary to the MoD, Gothabaya Rajapakse, but was unable to contact either. He was told that both of them were busy and was asked to contact later.