At least two explosions ripped through Trincomalee dockyard in Eastern Sri Lanka, which is home to a strategically important naval base Tuesday night, residents and the military said.
The attack was allegedly carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam; LTTE has not commented on the attack.
Military spokesman Ada Derana said there are no ‘human casualties nor physical damages’.
The humanitarian situation in Vanni continues to be complicated by serious food, drugs and fuel shortages, The World Health Organization (WHO) said in the ‘Health Action in Crises’ update for the period through August 24th.
Statement by WHO is also reported today on the website of Virakesari, premier Tamil daily of Sri Lanka.
Assessments of conditions in Vanni and other affected areas by WHO:
• The situation in the northern Vanni district is tense due to intense clashes between Sri Lanka military and the LTTE. The fighting has pushed more than 20,000 people to seek refuge in Kilinochchi and Mannar during the recent weeks, bringing the total number of reported IDPs to more than 217 000.
• The delivery of supplies such as drugs, supplementary foods and fuel to communities in LTTE-controlled areas is difficult. Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation continues to be complicated by serious food, drugs and fuel shortages. District health facilities are suffering substantial medicine, personnel and fuel shortages.
• Small-scale dengue and dysentery outbreaks were reported in Ampara, Kilinochchi, Batticaloa and Jaffna but inaccessibility and lack of human resources have caused much under-reporting.
Report by WHO: Health Action in Crises, No 222
Tents and materials to construct temporary shelters and other essentials for the Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Vanni are held and still waiting for clearance in Omanthai, according to a report on the Virakesari website today.
The only allowed entry point into Vanni is A9 highway at Omanthai. Several Nongovernmental organizations, both local and international based have said they face huge delays at the hands of Sri Lanka armed forces and authorities in clearing the urgently needed items into Vanni, virakesari said quoting sources from the volunteer organizations.
[a family clears the jungle for their temporary shelter]
The humanitarian agencies say the thousands of IDPs urgently need dry ration, medicine and particularly tents for those living in open spaces amidst the rain and soggy grounds.
“The conduct with regard to the two Provincial Councils for the Sabaragamuwa and North Central provinces indicates that the political agenda of the centre, and power politics, rather than the democratic requirements of the provinces have been uppermost”, The National Peace Council (NPC) of Sri Lanka said in media release issued today.
Pointing out to the violence marring the polls on Saturday Aug 23, NPC statement called for “good governance in the country”, as a longer term measure.
[Ballot boxes are being brought under Police protection to one of the polling stations-pic:courtesy of DailyMirror.lk]
Full text of the statement by National Peace Council:
Political agenda of the centre or the Democratic requirement of power sharing ?
The provincial council elections for the Sabaragamuwa and North Central provinces scheduled for August 23 have implications that go beyond ordinary politics and the contest for political dominance. The Provincial Council system was established in 1987 to provide the basis of a solution to the ethnic conflict based on the devolution of power. This has been reiterated by the present government which had pledged to fully implement the system to include the Northern and Eastern provinces.
The National Peace Council regrets that the conduct with regard to the two Provincial Councils for the Sabaragamuwa and North Central provinces indicates that the political agenda of the centre, and power politics, rather than the democratic requirements of the provinces have been uppermost. Both of these Provincial Councils were prematurely dissolved by the government, and the election campaign was undermined by violence in which politicians from the centre have been implicated.
There was a high level of violence and intimidation that took place in the course of the election campaign, especially in the final days of the campaign. As the criteria for a free and fair election includes the pre-election period this means a flawed election is about to take place on Saturday. Due to the upsurge in violence, and inability on the part of the Police alone to address the situation, the Election Commissioner has called on the army to be deployed the two provinces to ensure that normalcy is restored during the elections.
We trust that the government and the security forces will act with integrity to ensure that the basic foundation of our democracy, which is the people’s right to vote without fear and intimidation, is protected. We also appeal to the opposition parties not to take the law into their own hands on the grounds that the government parties have been engaging in violence with impunity, which would mean the law of the jungle. We call upon the Elections Commissioner to do his statutory duty and implement his promise to annul polling booths where there has been violence, intimidation or spiriting away of ballot boxes or stuffing them. As a longer term measure to ensure good governance in the country, we demand the implementation of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution by the government, which among others establish independent Elections and Police Commissions.
Governing Council
National Peace Council of Sri Lanka
The National Peace Council is an independent and non partisan organisation that works towards a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. It has a vision of a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka in which the freedom, human rights and democratic rights of all the communities are respected. The policy of the National Peace Council is determined by its Governing Council of 20 members who are drawn from diverse walks of life and belong to all the main ethnic and religious communities in the country.
Situation Report by Inter-Agency Standing Committee Sri Lanka, As of 7 August 2008
JAFFNA DISTRICT
Situation update
- The general security situation in Jaffna peninsula remained tense during the week, with daily shelling toward LTTE positions in Poonakary. In particular, areas close to the FDL remain volatile with growing tensions among the public.
- Major roads continue to be frequently blocked due to military convoy movement.
- The annual festival of the Nalllur Temple began with a flag raising ceremony on 6 Aug 2008. The festival will take place for 25 days culminating in the “water water cutting” ceremony on 28 Aug and the chariot festival on 29 August. Temple road near the temple will be closed for traffic during this period.
- The curfew has been relaxed by one hour to facilitate festival access. The curfew for the coming 25 days will be from 2100 – 0400 hours.
Displacement/ Returns
- No movements were observed this week.
- The government is making arrangements for the return of several hundred IDP families, following a high court decision to open the High Security Zone in Tellipallai DS in Valikamam North, formerly off limits to civilian movement. Details of the plan and level of preparation are awaited.
Sector Developments/Gaps
- UNHCR has provided 40 IDP families (162 individuals) displaced since 1990 from Valikamam North DS, with transitional shelters.
KILINOCHCHI & MULLAITIVU DISTRICTS & Manthai West (located in Mannar district but covered by Kilinochchi district)
Situation update
- The general security situation in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu Districts remains tense and unpredictable with ongoing military operations and exchange of mortar/ artillery shelling around the northern and southern FDL areas, including two claymore explosions and two air attacks inside the Vanni area.
- The battles continue around Vellankulam in Kilinochchi and Oddankulam, Kalvilan area and around Mallavi in Mullaitivu district. Shelling close to K.K.Kulam, Jeyapuram has resulted in restricted movements. Displaced populations are moving north towards Akkarayan.
- SLT phone lines outside of the Vanni have not been operational since 23 July, although telephone communication within the Vanni is still possible.
- On 04 August, the Solidar INGO consortium resumed operations suspended on 28 July, following the forced removal of assets belonging to consortium member Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA).
- On 4 August, UN agencies operating in the Vanni region received MoD permission to transport 18,850 liters of diesel through the FDL into Vanni.
Displacement/Returns
- Following SLA advancements in Mulankavil areas, most of the population in Veravil, Kiranchi, Valaippadu, Jeyapuram, Pallavarayankaddu and
Kariyalainagapaduvan in Poonakary AGA division have vacated their houses. The majority has displaced to Karachchi AGA division in Kilinochchi. As of 30 July, the total number of IDP families registered in Kilinochchi district was 25,908, of which nearly 12,000 were displaced during June and July. With continued displacement into Karachchi this figure is expected to increase.
Sector Developments/Gaps
- During a 05 Aug situation review meeting, GA- Kilinochchi requested support for a total of 12,000 temporary shelters, needed to address immediate needs of the newly displaced in Kilinochchi district. The GA reported that nearly 2,000 temporary shelters have been committed.
- RDHS Mullaitivu reported on 05 August, gaps at District hospitals with the following drugs: Buvacaine injection, Beclate MDI, Asthalin MDI Syringe, Cloxacillin Syringe, Panadol capsules, Cephalexin capsules, Omeprazole tablets, Mebendazole, lint injection, penicillin injection, Ranitidine, Urine bag, IV
- For its July allocation, the RDHS received 2,600 of its requested 14,000 liters of fuel for district health institutions. Reduced fuel availability is impacting the operation of generators and ambulance services in hospitals.
Full_Report (pdf* format – 155.4 Kbytes)
Since April 2006, the IASC Country Team in Sri Lanka led by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, acts as the main framework for humanitarian coordination in close cooperation with the Government of Sri Lanka. OCHA serves as the secretariat of the IASC Country Team.
At present, the IASC Country Team consists of 31 members from the UN, ICRC and NGO community.
Report #: 138
United Nations (UN) initiated 78 humanitarian relief projects in Kilinochchi, Mannar and Mullaithivu districts are being curtailed, according to a report published on Colombo based Tamil daily Virakesari’s website today.
A statement by United Nations has expressed disappointment over deteriorating security situation hampering the work of much needed projects of several UN agencies in these districts, Virakesari added.
Increased levels of conflict in recent weeks between the Sri Lanka armed forces and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in these districts has displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
