Oddusuddan civilians arrested by Army

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 December 1998, 12:54 GMT]
Forty-seven persons who were in Oddusuddan when the SLA captured the village have been arrested by the Army on suspicion on having connection with the LTTE, said SLA sources. They have been brought to Vavuniya army headquarters for further interrogation by the military intelligence.

They will be screened to see whether there are any members of the LTTE amongst them.

Meanwhile, military officials have informed the civil administration officials in Vavuniya that 689 members belonging to 214 families are at Oddusuddan, and arrangements have been made to transfer them to welfare centres in Vavuniya.

K.Ganesh Government Agent Vavuniya, said that 3 buses have been sent to bring 10 families to Vavuniya today.

Meanwhile, he said that the names of those still in Oddusuddan has been to the Government Agent in Mullaithivu through the ICRC and UNICEF. This will help families separated by displacement to find each other.

Meanwhile sources at the Agriculture Ministry said about 2430 acres of agricultural land near Oddusuddan in the Vanni has had to be abandoned because of recent military operations in the area.

As this is the rainy season in the Vanni, farmers in Oddusuddan area had cultivated paddy in 2250 acres, and cash crops in the rest of the area. Stray cattle are now destroying the crops they added.