Batticaloa families flee SLA shelling

[TamilNet, Thursday, 01 March 2007, 00:43 GMT]
Hundreds of families from Liberation Tigers controlled villages of Vavunathivu, Mankikattu, Eechchenthivu, Navatkadu and Vilavedduvan in Manmunai West division fled to Government controlled areas due to heavy shelling by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) from the 23-3 Brigade Head Quarters of Batticaloa, Valaichchenai Paper Factory Camp and Mylambavely Army Camp since Tuesday night, sources in Batticaloa said.

Several houses were damaged and four residents of Pankudavely village were injured in the attack.

The Batticaloa Government Agent, S. Arumainayagam said that 261 families arrived to the Manmunai North (Batticaloa) division and 1208 persons arrived to the Eravur Pattu (Chenkalady) division.

The displaced are housed at Saththurukkondan and Palachcholai Refugee Camps, and some are staying with relatives and friends, civil society sources said.

Meanwhile, more than 75,000 internally displaced persons from Vaharai and Muthur east in the neighboring Trincomalee district are languishing in the makeshift refugee centers without proper facilities.