Colombo caused Mavilaru crisis - Elilan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 26 July 2006, 15:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jets, on Wednesday evening, bombed Mavilaru site in Vakarai, where protesting Tamil civilians had closed water supply running through LTTE controlled area towards the GoSL controlled area. The protesters were demanding Colombo not to abandon the project to supply drinking water to Tamil areas, according to S. Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee District political head. Truce monitors intervened and mediated between the Tigers and Colombo to a solution. In the meantime, the SLAF has bombed the area, making the crisis worse, charged Elilan Wednesday night. He said that LTTE has decided to reconsider the decision of lifting the water blockade.

"To spotlight the grave injustice meted out to the Tamil people, water distribution line through LTTE held Mavilaru to GoSL controlled areas has been blocked since July 22 by the people of the area," according to Elilan.

The Sri Lankan Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Ministry earlier proposed to construct water towers for the supply of drinking water to villages in the Muttur west and Serunuwara division in GoSL controlled territory and also to construct such towers in the LTTE controlled Muttur East to provide water supply to villages, Pattalipuram, Pallikudiruppu, Malaimunthal and other remote hamlets which are suffering without proper drinking water facility.

But, the GoSL authorities went on with other plans. "They were not interested in providing water facility to the people in the Muttur East," Elilan charged.

This had angered the Tamil civilians who blocked the water supply in protest, Elilan further said.

The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) held discussion with the LTTE regarding the water crisis.

"We explained the position of Tamil civilians. We told them that injustice was meted out to our people."

"The SLMM officials held discussions with the GoSL and informed us that Colombo has promised that water facilities and other assistance would be provided to Muttur East people as well."

"We asked the SLMM monitors to meet the civilians and give them the assurance that their needs would be met by the GoSL."

SLMM officials had told the LTTE that they would come to the crisis area on Thursday to meet the people and convey the undertaking given by the Government Peace Secretariat.

The Tigers then decided to take a positive decision regarding the removal of water blockade after SLMM monitors meet the people.

In the meantime, SLAF Kifir jets, Wednesday evening, bombed the area where Mavilaru water supply line goes through LTTE territory.

"This is a blatant violation of ceasefire violation," Elilan said. He has lodged a complaint to the SLMM.

Two Tamil civilians were injured and two civilian houses were destroyed in the bombing.

"We have now decided to reconsider our decision of lifting the water blockade," Elilan further said.

Large number of Tamil families, displaced from the Muttur east villages due to three pronged attack by Sri Lankan armed forces since April 25, have been sheltered in welfare centres, public buildings for three months without any relief assistance from Colombo.

Only two weeks' dry ration relief had been provided by the Sri Lankan authorities to the IDPs.

"The Trincomalee Government Agent has ordered his officers not to distribute any relief to these people," Elilan charged.

"This is a blatant indiscrimination shown by the SL government towards the Tamil people in our areas."