Lanka Muditha to resume service

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 August 1999, 22:14 GMT]
The Divisional Secretariat in Trincomalee today announced that about 1500 Jaffna bound civilian passengers and 1000 refugees would be shipped to Kankesanthurai on August 23 and 26 by the cargo ship 'Lanka Muditha'.

The ship Lanka Muditha now unloading rice at Point Pedro in the Jaffna peninsula is expected to leave Kankesanthurai on August 22 with civilian passengers for Trincomalee port, after a period of over one and a half months, divisional sources.

About 5000 persons from Jaffna who have come to Trincomalee by ship from time to time to attend to their needs in Colombo and elsewhere, have registered themselves at the office of the Divisional Secretary, Trincomalee town to return to Jaffna.

As no transport facilities are available, they are stranded. Some of them are staying in lodges paying exorbitant rates. Some stay with their friends and relatives.

Some who have no friends and relatives in Trincomalee, are occupying the controversial unused new market building constructed by the Trincomalee Urban Council.

In the meantime, about 500 refugees displaced from Vanni region have been brought by buses to Trincomalee to be shipped to Jaffna. They now stay at the dedicated welfare centre used to accommodate the refugees in transit to the north.

On August 23, about 750 civilian passengers and 500 refugees would be shipped to Jaffna said divisional sources. On August 26 a similar number of passengers and refugees would be shipped to Jaffna, they added.