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Daily upto 20 snakebite victims from the internally displaced persons (IDPs) are being brought to the Dharamapuram Medical Clinic for life saving urgent treatment, according to the Kilinochchi District Medical and Health Services officer Prathap Nayagam Brighton.

The Dharmapuram Clinic is primarily a Child Birth Centre and lacks space and facilities to see such large number of patients.

Colombo based Tamil Daily Thinakkural has quoted Kilinochchi Medical and Health officer’s grim situation details on it’s website from his interview with the BBC Tamil Service.

He said snakebite victims have to be treated within an hour or two to avoid fatalities. But even on Friday Oct 17th a two year old baby girl succumbed to a venomous snakebite, he said. Most are victims of a poisonous snake called ‘kanndan karuvalai’, (in Tamil கண்டன் கருவலை) according to the Kilinochchi Medical and Health officer.

Dr. Prathap Nayagam Brighton further said, there is a spike in the number of patients seeking urgent care at the Clinic. He said about 300 patients are in the clinic for long term care while about 900 come daily seeking outpatient care. He pointed out there is no adequate space and facilities to provide needed care for such a large number of patients.

Several areas in Kilinochchi outskirts are infested with poisonous snakes. Many IDPs are living in here in open and previously uninhabited areas. Snakes had taken residence in the ant hills in the region, but when people began to farm and started using chemical and fertilizers, the snakes had disappeared. However interruption in cultivation due to war and shortage of fertilizers as they are a restricted item by Sri Lanka military, the snake population has multiplied.

There is also rise in diarrhea and related illnesses. Medicines to treat these patients are also in short supply due to restrictions.

Prime Minister has expressed deep concern on the situation in North Sri Lanka during a telephone conversation initiated by the President of Sri Lanka today. The Government of India Press Information Bureau issued the following statement concerning the discussions:

President of Sri Lanka Mr.R Mahinda Rajapaksa telephoned Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today to discuss the recent developments in Sri Lanka.

During the telephonic conversation, the Prime Minister expressed his deep concern on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the North of Sri Lanka, especially on the plight of the civilians caught in the hostilities. He emphasised that the safety and the security of these civilians must be safeguarded at all costs. The Prime Minister also said that, in order to address the humanitarian situation, continued and uninterrupted relief supplies be ensured for the Internally Displaced Persons. President Rajapaksha assured the Prime Minister that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the safety and well being of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh further mentioned that the rights and the welfare of the Tamil community of Sri Lanka should not get enmeshed in the on-going hostilities against the LTTE. He reiterated that there was no military solution to the conflict and urged the President to start a political process for a peacefully negotiated political settlement within the framework of a united Sri Lanka . He also emphasised the need to nurture the democratic process in the Eastern Province.

The Prime Minister asked President Rajapaksa to instruct the Sri Lankan Navy to desist from firing on Indian fishermen and reiterated that killing of fishermen is unacceptable. Both the Leaders agreed to work on practical arrangements to prevent such incidents.

A major United Nations food convoy headed for northern Sri Lanka was today forced to turn back because of fresh fighting in the area between Government forces and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The UN will seek renewed security assurances from both sides before attempting to make the route tomorrow morning, the world body’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Neil Buhne, said in a statement from Colombo, the capital.

The convoy – the second to be dispatched in as many weeks – had been headed for the northern area known as the Vanni in a bid to reach an estimated 230,000 civilians who have been displaced behind the lines of confrontation in the districts of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

Comprised of 50 trucks, the World Food Programme (WFP) convoy was carrying 750 tons of food when it left the town of Vavuniya at lunchtime, and it was expected to reach its destination by this evening. Intensified clashes between the military and LTTE members in recent weeks have displaced tens of thousands of people and sparked warnings from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other UN officials about the humanitarian impact on civilians.

Earlier this month at least 27 people were killed and scores more were wounded in a suicide bomb attack on the offices of one of Sri Lanka’s opposition parties in the north-central town of Anuradhapura.

A correspondent of Sirasa TV, Rashmi Mohamed, was among the people killed in the attack, which was condemned today by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The agency’s Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura described the attack as cowardly.

“In view of UNESCO’s mandate regarding the fundamental human right of freedom of expression and freedom of speech, I must draw particular attention to the unacceptable killing of journalist Rashmi Mohamed,” he said.

“In doing so, I wish to honour journalists and other media workers, who, when exercising their profession that contributes to ensuring greater transparency, accountability and participation in democratic processes, put their lives at risk. It is essential that every possible step be taken to improve the safety of journalists.”

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today stated that the situation in Sri Lanka remains a cause of serious concern for India, a PTI report said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh responding to a question at a press conference at the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) summit in New Delhi said: “[The] Situation in Sri Lanka remains a cause of serious concern for India. We are concerned over escalating hostilities, losses suffered by civilians and increasing number of displaced persons.”

He called on Colombo to find a “negotiated solution” rather than a “military victory.”

“India should stop making attempts to halt the war”, Wimal Weerawansa, leader of the National Freedom Front said yesterday. Countries, including India and certain western countries are intervening in the affairs of Sri Lanka to safeguard the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from defeat. The government of Sri Lanka must keep away from giving into such pressures to halt the war, the former JVP stalwart said at a media briefing on Tuesday Oct 14th. He met the press at the National Freedom Front office in Baththaramulla, reported Colombo Tamil Virakesari on its website.

Wimal Weerawansa further said,

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and other political parties sympathizing with the LTTE are carrying out various campaigns. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s advisor M.K. Narayanan met with Sri Lanka’s Ambassador and requested to stop the war, safeguard Tamil civilians and put forward a solution.

Not only India. No country can exert pressure to halt the war. People delivered the authority to eradicate terrorism. Violating this is violating the mandate given by the people. India gave arms and trained LTTE. Then the LTTE killed Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Therefore trying to protect LTTE is like repeating the historical blunder. India should stop making attempts to halt the war. Government must not step back from the war that’s going forward, Wimal Weerawansa said.

The Daily Mirror reported that The NFF Leader during the press conference also explained that the situation is complex today with South Indian Tamil parties pressurising New Delhi which in turn pressurising the Sri Lankan government.

Weerawansa at the same time said India on the other hand wants LTTE defeated, the newspaper said.

“This is why it has provided radar equipment to Sri Lanka Air Force,” he said.

The breakaway group of ten ultra-nationalist JVP Parliamentarians led by Wimal Weerawansa formed a new political party and began functioning from May 14, 2008. National Freedom Front supports the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) coalition government led by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Health services in Kilinochchi are relocating along with fleeing civilians as increased medical help is now sought in other areas, according to a report today on Colombo Tamil daily Virakesari’s website.

The situation is adding to the misery of all internally displaced persons (IDPs), as Kilinochchi health services were already under severe strain due to shortages of medicines.

The Virakesari report says:

Health and medical conditions

As civilians continue to abandon the town of Kilinochchi and keep moving to the interior in droves, the number of patients at the Kilinochchi hospital is also dwindling. Health officials say a neighbourhood clinic in Dharmapuram, a Kilinochchi suburb is where the patients are seeking medical assistance now. The clinic is overwhelmed due to the increased number of patients.

Many patients are seeking treatment for diarrhea and also for snake and insect bites.

More than 50 percent of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) are without proper shelter facilities. Over 90 percent lack lavatory and sanitary facilities. The rain, only a few days for now but conditions for IDPs are expected to worsen when the seasonal downpours start in full force in the coming days.

Health officials fear of increased activity of communicable diseases amidst lack of medical facilities.

Medicines are a scarcity in Vanni; once again, medical supplies that were meant for the Kilinochchi district was turned away at Omanthai check point by Sri Lanka military on Oct 6th, according Health officials.

A section of the medical equipment was taken to a building at the Visuvamadu Maha Vithiyalayam, the main school in one of the large agricultural hamlets near Kilinochchi. However, attempts to function a medical facility there has not succeeded as of yet, according to sources at the Kilinochchi hospital.

Air attacks

A brief two day lull in raids by Sri Lanka air force was broken when Paranthan came under air attack in the early hours of Friday Oct 10th morning around 6:25 AM. A Paranthan Hindu Maha Vithiyalayam grade 5 student and her mother who is among the teaching staff at the school died, after sustaining injuries. 7 others were injured in the air attack that took place near Paranthan, Kumarapuram Murugan Temple.

Banks and other government offices

The entire government offices and banks have moved out of Kilinochchi. The government secretariat has moved to Kandavalai and the banks have relocated to Dhrmapuram.

Food convoys

A second set of food convoy was expected, but none arrived under World Food Programme (WFP) protection this week. Officials and displaced persons are hoping a food convoy would arrive at least by next week.