LTTE attacks food convoy

Lorries return to Vavuniya :

Rafik JALALDEEN

WANNI: Fifty World Food Programme lorries carrying essential food items, medicine and other dry rations for Wanni civilians were forced to return to Vavuniya due to LTTE artillery fire and claymore mine attacks.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the convoy loaded with essential food items had crossed the Omanthai entry/exit point.

He said the food convoy had come under a barrage of LTTE artillery fire and a claymore mine attack and turned back to Vavuniya.

“The Tiger cadres fired indiscriminately at the food convoy for the IDPs,” Brigadier Nanayakkara told the Daily News.

The lorries were carrying a large stock of medicine and essential items such as rice, sugar and dhal, Brigadier Nanayakkara said.

He said 18 other food lorries will be sent to civilians living in IDP centres in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts.

“Five of the 18 vehicles will be distributing essential food items coordinating with relevant authorities in the Mullaitivu district while the remainder will be distributed in the Kilinochchi district,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner General of Essential Services S. B. Divaratne on Wednesday submitted a report to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the ongoing operations to supply foods to the Wanni.

The report states that the government has been able to continue provision of sufficient food stocks to civilians in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts effectively despite non cooperation of some international aid agencies . Further, the report recalls that it is the government of Sri Lanka that has been providing foods to terror stricken areas during last 20 years and state that this has been carried out with the utmost commitment to protect its own citizen but not to satisfy any international agency. Meanwhile, the Commissioner General of Essential Services on Wednesday submitted a report President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the on going operations to supply foods to Wanni. The report states that the government has been able to continue provision of sufficient food stocks to the civilians living in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts effectively despite non cooperation of some international aid agencies . Further, the report recall that it is the government of Sri Lanka that has been providing foods to terror stricken areas during last 20 years and state that this has been carried out with the utmost commitment to protect its own citizen but not to satisfy any international agency.