Vanni stranded civilians to arrive in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 August 1999, 03:56 GMT]
Five hundred civilians are expected to arrive in Vavuniya on Monday from the LTTE held areas of the Vanni region said K.Ganesh, the Government Agent in Vavuniya. He said the Liberation Tigers have also informed that another 300 are planning to travel to Vavuniya on Wednesday.

The ICRC will escort them thorugh the newly opened access route through Mankulam, Mr. Ganesh said.

Sources said that these people had been stranded in the Vanni due to the closure of an access route since 26 June.

Mr.Ganesh said the civilians will enter the SLA held region around 9 a.m. and their belonging will be checked by the army.

They will be transported in a convoy of ten buses to Peyaadikoolankulam 5km. north of Vavuniya, where the police will issue necessary residential Passes to these civilians to enter Vavuniya town, officials said.

K.Ganesh said officials are ready to receive and send 200 people a day and the ICRC has agreed to provide escort to these civilians five days a week from Monday to Friday.