Widespread shelling in Vanni including Theravil and Kaiveli kills entire families

A thirty year old man Ramanathan Kumaran, his 65 year old father, Ramanathan, and his 55 year old mother-in-law were killed. His wife was seriously injured and needs to be transferred to Vavuniya hospital. This leaves her injured baby with no one to be near him.

Also on the same day, shelling at 12.30pm on Kailveli IDP settlement killed a 50 year old father, Thambaih Yogeswaran, and his fourteen year old daughter, Yogeswaran Gajenthini. Eight year old son of the same family, Prasanth, was injured in the attack and he is admitted to the Puthukudiyiruppu hospital. Also injured in this attack is a thirty years old woman, Babuharan Jeyanthini.

Also on the same day, another man was killed when the tractor-trailer he was driving, transporting possessions for a displacing family, was hit by a shell in Visuvamadu. The road from Visuvamadu towards Puthukudiyiruppu remains congested with the nearly 100,000 people attempting to displace.

One man and two women were injured in shelling in Kombavil and Visuvamdu on the same day.

On the following day, 17 January, a couple who went back to Sundikulam to collect some of their possessions was killed when a shell hit them. Due to the massive scale of displacement, over a short time, the roads are congested and there is severe shortage of transport vehicles for the people to move their possessions. People have thus displaced just with a small bag on their hand. Some are attempting to return to collect a few of their possessions.

In the meantime, Regional Directors of Health Services for Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi Districts, Dr Varatharaja and Dr Sathiamoorthy have appealed the safety of the hospital areas. Their appeals included, a safe zone for the hospital where they have to treat a large number of injured civilians; safety of the medical staff; regular ambulance service to the Vavuniya hospital; and interrupted supply of drugs.

17 January 2009

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