Situation Report-Jaffna Peninsula
27^th September 2006

GENERAL

• The Water Resources Board has announced that supply of drinking water by bowsers and pipe lines in the Islands has been resumed consequent to the issue of the necessary fuel for their use.
• At the request of Deputy Provincial Director of Health Services the UNICEF has arranged for the supply of vaccine for children by plane.  Supply is being distributed all hospitals in the district.
• The Divisional Officer of the Agrarian Services Department in Karainagar has taken action to catch stray cattle which are destroying the crops.
• The Commissioner of Examinations had written to the Secretary to the Defence Ministry to arrange travelling facilities for the Jaffna candidates sitting the examination for admission to the College of Legal Education to be held on the 30^th September but had not received any response.
• 14 boatmen arrested for bringing persons from Mannar to Delft by their boats were remanded till 10^th Oct’06 by the Kayts magistrate.
• The fuel filling station at Kaithady junction was supplying petrol to the value of LKR 100. per vehicle till the stock lasted.
• The Commissioner of the Jaffna Municipal Council has informed that the portion of the Hospital Road from KKS Road upto Kasthuriyar road will be renovated in the near future. During the time of renovation alternate arrangements would be made for vehicular traffic.
• Multi-barrel rocket attack and artillery shell attack sounds were heard in Thenmaradchy area.

FOOD, NON-FOOD ITEMS       

• It has been pointed our that at-least 10,000Mt. of food items are required for a month but the Commissioner General of essential services have snet only 7,685 Mt. of food stuff.
• A consignment of 500 Mt. sugar and 400 Mt. flour has been sent to Jaffna by the ship “HIND”.
• Members of the public are complaining that tea boutiques have not reduced the price of the short eats and food items though they have been supplied sugar, flour and dhal at the normal rates.
• Food, non-food item prices are gone high and not available in the market shops, few items available in pavement shops, there is scarcity for most of the items. Few items are not at all available.  Due to shortage of kerosene oil the prices of vegetables are increased.

Items	Qty.	Price prior to 11/08/2006 (LKR)	Outside market (LKR)
Parboiled rice	1 Kg	36.50	> 125.
Samba rice	1 Kg	37.00	150.
Sugar	1 Kg	66.00	> 260.
Brown sugar	1 Kg	78.00	>150.
Bread 1 loaf	450g	26.00	30.
Milk food			not available
Milk food for children	1 Kg	37.00	not available
Prawns Big	1 Kg	300.	> 600.
Fish small	1 Kg	150.	> 500.
Fish big	1 Kg	200.	> 800.
Egg	1 No.	7.	20.
Coconut	1 No.	12.	> 50.
Vegetable oil	1 lit.	80.	250.
Tin-fish			not available
Dhal	1 Kg	80	Available at MPCS
Biscuit	50 g	22.	30.
Coriander	1 Kg	80.	> 150.
Dry Red Chilli	1 Kg	180.	> 350.
Vegetables
Brinjal	1 Kg		150.
Manioc	1 Kg		30.
Carrot	1 Kg		80.
Beetroot	1 Kg		80.
Long Beans	1 Kg		80.
Tomato	1 Kg		80.
Onion	1 Kg		35.
Potato			Not available
Garlic	1 Kg	120	800.
Ginger	1 Kg	100	1,500.
Leeks			Not available
Box of matches	1 small box	2.50	10.
Kerosene Oil	1 litter	49.00	125.

TRAVEL & VEHICLES

• People stranded at Vavuniya after 11^th Aug’06 and awaiting travel arrangements to Jaffna have been requested to register their names in the Vavuniya Secretariat.
• 948 persons stranded in Vavuniya have arrived Jaffnaby ship on the 27^th .
• 300 University students from the outer districts were sent by ship to Tricomalee on the 25^th.
• The CTB (Ceylon Transport Board) having exhausted 6,600 litters of diesel was about to suspend all its services with 26^th Sep’06.  CPC (Ceylon Petroleum Co-operation) has now issued 3,300 Litters of diesel and the services will be resumed.

EDUCATION

• Boycott of schools in the peninsula is continuing.

DISPLACEMENT

• Displaced life is still continuing in some areas.

MISSING PERSONS, DEATH & INJURIES

• The Jaffna office of the Human rights Commission has in their report to their headquarters stated that 151 persons were murdered and 50 persons were reported missing in the Jaffna District after August 2006.
• A body with gunshot injuries was recovered in Mirusuvil on the 25^th Sep’06.  the body was identified as that of Navaratnam (45) of Mirusivil.
• 2 soldiers on road clearing were injured when unknown persons opened fire at Kulapiddy, in Kokkuvil and admitted at the military hospital, Palaly.

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
27^th September 2006