Vavuniya traders apprehensive

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 November 1999, 18:37 GMT]
After short lull last night, heavy fighting resumed north of Vavuniya this morning and continued through the day, sources in the northern town told TamilNet by telephone today. The sound of continuous explosions rocked the town as the Sri Lanka Army and the Liberation Tigers exchanged artillery fire they said.

Traders in Vavuniya town said that lorries carrying vegetables, coconut and other essential food items from places in the south like like Dambulla, Kekirawa and Kandy did not come to the town as usual.

They said one or two lorries only came during the two days and as a result the prices of vegetables and other items have started to rise.

Traders said that the lorry drivers who transport food items to Vavuniya from the southern towns are scared of the heavy fighting to the north of the town.