Exodus of Tamil IDPs to Vaharai continues

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 September 2006, 12:35 GMT]
Exodus of Tamil families from the Trincomalee district to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam controlled Vaharai has been continuing due to ongoing military operations by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in the Muthur East LTTE territory. "Till now about 62,643 members of around 16,540 Tamil families have sought refuge. Of this about 10,657 families have been sheltered in five camps in Vaharai division in the Batticaloa district", Mr.K.Mahesan, Batticaloa District Additional Government Agent said Sunday.

Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has given permission to take food relief convoys to Vaharai in the LTTE held area only on Tuesday and Friday.

On Friday thirteen lorries with relief materials were allowed to enter Vaharai.

Amid several restrictions by the millitary, the distribution of relief to these refugees is taking place expeditiously, he said.

In the meantime, all entry points to LTTE held villages in the Batticaloa district have been re-opened since Saturday. The Special Task Force (STF) allowed to re-opened the entry point through Paddiruppu Bridge, only from Saturday afternoon, sources said.

Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians, P.Ariyanethran and Ms K.Thangeswary, had urged at a conference held in the Batticaloa district secretariat last week to re-open the entry points.