Stranded travellers to return tomorrow

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 27 July 1999, 21:52 GMT]
K.Ganesh, the Government Agent in Vavuniya, said today that over 2200 stranded travellers in Vavuniya had been registered with the civil authorities to be sent to the Vanni tomorrow morning after military officials informed him that the Vanni people will be returned home tomorrow.

He further said that a relief food parcel containing dry foodstuff to the value of Rs.525/- will be given to each person before they set off. The parcel will contain 9 kgs of flour, 4kgs of sugar, 1 pkt of milkfood, 250 gms of tea leaf, 1 bottle of coconut oil, 3 cakes of soap and 6 boxes of matches.

He said that this dry foodstuff was given by the Commissioner General of Essential Services as a special relief measure for the stranded.

He also said that the SLA had asked the civil authorities to provide about 40 white flags to the returning people along with the relief food parcel.

Officials said that although they are making all the arrangements regarding transport, breakfast and lunch packets, they were not told of how and from which point these people would be sent to the areas held by the LTTE.

"We are making every arrangement to send the stranded to the Vanni. We are working round the clock registering the people and preparing the dry foodstuff to be supplied to them" officials said.