NGO vehicle narrowly escapes DPU Claymore attack in Vanni
[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 August 2008, 18:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit soldiers triggered a Claymore mine Friday evening around 7:00 p.m. on a convoy of FORUT, a Norwegian NGO, at Kanakaraayanku'lam, a few minutes after the convoy has passed the entry point to Vanni, Tamileelam Police officials told TamilNet Saturday. Tamileelam police officials charged that the SLA has stepped up Claymore attacks on civilian vehicles in Vanni in a bid to terrorise the people of Vanni. The NGOs and the UN agencies have become under pressure from the Sri Lankan government, which is pressurising a move to force people to vacate LTTE administered areas.
A FORUT vehicle narrowly escaped with damage and the driver had sustained minor injuries. The vehicle was transporting essential items to the IDPs in Vanni from Colombo. 55-year-old Ampan Visvalingam, the driver of the vehicle, managed to drive the vehicle to Maangku'lam. He was taken to Ki'linochchi hospital from there. The driver, father of three, is from Paravippaagnchaan in Ki'linochchi. The FORUT vehicle from Colombo reached Vavuniyaa around 4:30 p.m. and passed the LTTE entry post between 6:30 - 6:50 p.m., according to Tamileelam Police officials. FORUT is a Norwegian development organisation established in 1981. The development agency engages in assisting IDP resettlement in conflict zones. The NGO has engaged in development activities in 13 districts in Sri Lanka. FORUT is also active in Nepal, India, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Gambia and Malawi.
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