SLA intensifies artillery attack in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 August 2007, 09:03 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) stationed in Jaffna Peninsula fired artillery shells towards the LTTE controlled Poonakari- Vadamaraadchi East area, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday. People were forced to vacate their homes from several villages in eastern shores of the peninsula as shells were also directed towards populated areas including Thaazhaiyadi, Chempiyanpattu, Uduththu'rai, Vettilaikkea'ni and Kaddaikkaadu, civil society sources said. Many of the people living in these villages have already been displaced a number of times are living at present in temporary shelters.

Fishermen fishing along Vadamaraadchi Sea coasts had to abandon fishing activities and had to return home, T. Balasingham, the General Manager of the Federation of the Vadamaraadchi Fisheries Cooperative Societies, said. In the aftermath of the Mukamaalai offensive, the fishermen engaged only in coastal fishing.

Meanwhile, SLA directed its artillery fire towards the villages in Poonakari. People have been displaced many times previously, in the area and many stay in temporary shelters. Nearly 290 fishermen who had gone for coastal fishing in Poonakari- Ma'npiddi coast, returned home, T. Subramaniyam, the Village services Officer for the Chempan Ku'ndu area, said.

1890 persons from 408 families live in Chempan Ku'ndu area. Shells fell 800 meters away from their temporary shelter, he further said. Poonakari Divisional Secretariat rations 20 liters of water for person for every 3 days due to shortage of water. People usually go to the wells situated in the 4th Mile Post area to get more water also stayed back due to the shelling, he further said.