Most Vavuniya stranded back home

[TamilNet, Friday, 13 August 1999, 20:04 GMT]
The arrangements to return the people from the Vanni who became stranded in Vavuniya and Mannar due to the closure of the access route to the Vanni will conclude on Monday August 16, said sources.

K.Ganesh, Government Agent in Vavuniya said today that so far, 2488 people out of those stranded in the northern town of Vavuniya have returned to their homes in areas held by the LTTE through the new access point at Mankulam.

He said another 600 people will travel to the Vanni tomorrow and there will be no movement of people or vehicles on Sunday.

He further said that the 279 stranded people who have come from Mannar the western port town would be sent to their homes on Monday.

As yet, there have been no travellers from the Vanni to Vavuniya and Sri Lankan security sources said that they expected people to travel out from the Vanni on Monday.

Officials said that from next week, the movements of NGO vehicles, food convoys and mail service will be allowed only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Civilians will be allowed to cross on 5 days of a week, from Monday to Friday.

Movements would not be permitted during the weekends or on public holidays.

However, there are no restrictions on the ambulance service the officials added.

Meanwhile the Voice of Tigers (VoT) radio said in its night news bulletin today that 41 vital drugs needed by seriously ill patients in Vanni hospitals are not available in the stores of the Department of Health at Kilinochchi.

The shortage of drugs has exacerbated the suffering of patients suffering from malaria and other diseases, the radio said.

Although an access point has been opened, drugs for Vanni hospitals have not gone through as yet, said sources in Vavuniya today.

The Vavuniya GA meanwhile said that arrangements are underway to allow 30 food lorries a day into the Vanni, commencing next Wednesday.

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