Food convoy disturbed by military operations

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 May 1999, 23:01 GMT]
Displaced families in the LTTE held areas have not been issued with relief rations over the last two months as government food stores and multipurpose co-operative society stores are empty, sources said.

Sources said that most of the bakeries in the Kilinochchi district are closed due to a shortage of wheat flour.

A kilo of sugar is sold at Rs.55/- while a litre of kerosene is Rs.175/-, said people who had come from the area. The price of rice is also rising, they added.

Officials in charge of relief food supply to the Vanni region said that the food convoy had been disturbed by operation "Ranagosa".

According to statistical reports from government officials 315 lorry loads of food and kerosene were not sent to the Vanni over the months of March, April and May.

One hundred and twelve lorry loads of essential food items to the Kilinochchi district, 145 lorry loads of food to the Mullaithivu district and 26 lorry loads of food to the Mannar district, distributed by the Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES), have not been sent, sources said.

Thirty two lorry loads of kerosene have also not been sent to these districts over the months of March, April and May.