Situation Report-Jaffna Peninsula
26^th September 2006

GENERAL

• An attempted burglary of a house was thwarted by the security forces in Kodikamam.  Thieves had entered a house in Eruvan and when the inhabitants raised alarm the thieves had taken to their heels and on their way out the army had arrested one of the thieves.
• Poultry and cattle breeders are facing severe difficulties to buy feeds and are requesting these to be transported by ship from Colombo.
• Federation of agricultural societies are clamouring to have onions transported by ship to the South.
• Vehicles damaged during the fighting at Muhamalai from August 11^th were towed from there to Kodikamam and handed over to the owners.
• Owners of the remaining vehicles will be taken in groups of three to inspect their vehicles.
• A pregnant woman in Sangarathai gave birth to a child in her house as ambulance facilities could not be obtained.
• Residents of Tambaddy in the Islands division are facing scarcity of drinking water.
• A woman whose premature born baby was kept in the incubator of hospital took out another woman’s premature baby and thrown it outside and the baby died.  This was detected and the miscreant is in hospital with prison guarding.
• Permission has been once again refused by the security forces for the Maha cultivation in Thenmaradchy.
• Fertiliser on subsidized price will be distributed through the Federation of the Agricultural Societies.

FOOD, NON-FOOD ITEMS

• The assistant Director of Agriculture of Jaffna have advised the farmers of Jaffna to engage in planting Queen Beans as it has a very high proportion of protein.
• Boiled manioc is being served in many tea boutiques instead of short eats.
• Wheat four on a restricted basis could be purchased from the private traders from the 25^th. 3Kg for a family will be sold on a family card.
• Price of cow mild has been increased to LKR 36. /Litter (before 11^th Aug’06 LKR 24. /Lit).
• There is demand for Matchboxes; a small box of matches is sold outside market for LKR 10. (before 11^th August price LKR 2.50)
• Price of an egg is presently LKR 20. (Before 11^th Aug’06 below LKR 10.)
• There are no more crowds in front of the bakeries as there is not much of a demand for bread.
• String hoppers and Pittu are once again served in the tea boutiques of Jaffna.
• Co-operative officials are soliciting the co-operation of the public to prevent burglaries of the branches of MPCS where food items are stored for distribution to the public. 

TRAVEL & VEHICLES

• Another 1300 persons were taken by bus to Kankesanthurai to be sent to Trincomalee by ship.
• 948 persons who were stranded in Vavuniya are expected to arrive by ship today or tomorrow.
• Bus service from Delft to Kurikadduvan is arranged to start after 12 noon.
• For the third time in the last fortnight people were not allowed to enter the Islands area.

EDUCATION

• Boycott of schools in the peninsula is continuing.

DISPLACEMENT

• Displaced life is still continuing in some areas.

MISSING PERSONS, DEATH & INJURIES

• Sinnathurai Ganesh (68) of Sanguvely North was reported missing on the 6^th of this month and Selvathamby Selvakumar (41) of Thondamannr is reported missing from the 22^nd of September.
• Bodies of 5 persons who were killed in shelling and gun firing during August and buries had been exhumed on court orders and were buried after the post-mortem examination.

CURFEW LIFTED HOURS:

• Curfew has been lifted from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Valigamam, Island, Thenmaradchy and Vadamaradchy divisions.

HUDEC-Cartias Jaffna
26^th September 2006