More food enters Wanni

Rasika SOMARATHNA

COLOMBO: Close on the heels of 20 lorries carrying 300 tons of dry rations to Wanni, the Government said it would send another 15 truck loads containing 225 tons today, in its continuing endeavour to assist the displaced and deprived of basic needs by the LTTE in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

According to Army sources, 20 lorries from Vavuniya had crossed over to uncleared areas on Monday afternoon from the Omanthai entry\exit points after a thorough check.

The convoy carrying stocks of dhal, rice, coconuts, sugar, flour, spices, oil, grams, potatoes and cereals for children had made its way across Mundirippu, Nedunkandal, Mankulama and Oddusudan, sources said.

Commissioner General of Essential Services S.B. Divarathne said the 20 lorries which left Vavuniya on Monday afternoon had been slightly delayed east of Nedunkerni due to heavy rains and damages to the road.

However the convoy had re-started the journey and was expected to reach its destination by yesterday afternoon, Divarathne said.

Another convoy consisting of 50 lorries sponsored by the World Food Programme (WFP) is expected to leave Vavuniya carrying supplies to IDPs in Wanni within the next two days.

According to Divarathne, the estimated need according to numbers provided by Government Agents on the IDPs was around 500 tons of food per week. While emphasising that the Government and WFP consignments were meeting this demand comfortably, the Commissioner added that they had enough buffer stocks in Vavuniya to meet any emergency.

However Divarathne said that an independent verification regarding the number of displaced was difficult as they were depending on the numbers provided by the Government Agents which stood at 150,000 according to latest statistics.

The figure could be much lower, Divarathne said adding Vakarai as the best example where after liberation the actual number provided by local authorities were found to be much higher than the ones provided during early estimates.

In an earlier media briefing, Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe accused the LTTE of robbing a portion of food supplies sent to uncleared areas.

He said Sri Lanka could be the only country which feeds a terrorist organisation which attacks them, but emphasised that as a responsible Government which had the needs of its people uppermost in their mind irrespective of the location would continue its assistance to IDPs unabated.

According to Divarathne the first convoy of 650 metric tons of food had already been distributed.