24 Village-divisions in Trincomalee deserted due to conflict

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 February 2008, 14:47 GMT]
A preliminary report released by the Department of Census and Statistics in Colombo revealed that villages in 24 grama niladhari (village level) divisions in the Trincomalee district have been deserted due to the displacement of residents following the conflict. 20 GN divisions are Tamil areas. Other four are Sinhala divisions, media sources said.

The Department of Census and Statistics conducted a special census in the eastern province on the instruction of the government last year.

According to the report there are 230 GN divisions in the Trincomalee district.

Of them eleven Sampoor West, Koonitheivu, Navaratnapuram, Sampoor East, Kadatkaraichchenai, Kaddaiparichchan North, Kaddaiparichchan South, Pallikudiruppu, Chenaiyoor, Pattalipuram and Nalloor in Moothoor DS division are Tamil GN divisions.

Four GN divisions (two Tamil and two Sinhala )in Seruvila DS division - Aathiammankerni, Uppooral, Mahindapura and Sumedhanpura, three Tamil GN divisions in Verugal DS division- Ilankaithuraimuhathuwaram, Poomarathadichchenai and Ilankaithurai, two Tamil GN divisions in Kuchchaveli DS division- Thennamaravaady and Kalampathai, one Tamil GN division in Kinniya DS division- Uppaaru, two Sinhala GN divisions in Morawewa DS division- Morawewa North and Kituluthu, and one Sinhala GN division in Gomarankadawela DS division- Mylawewa, have been completely deserted, the preliminary report released in Colombo said.