In December, the European Union drew attention to the extreme social, moral and physical precariousness of the people of the north-east and urged the government to do everything within its powers to improve their lot, particularly through better access to humanitarian aid and improved freedom of movement.
Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts Health Department officers say 80 different kinds of medicines and materials needed in hospitals have not been received in the Vanni since February. These include wound dressing, antiseptics and preventive injections.
There is only one doctor in the Out Patients Department in Mullaitivu hospital. Over 1,000 patients visit the department daily for treatment. Over 13,600 people were treated in November in Mallavi hospital. The Kilinochchi hospital treated over 19,500, including 3,000 for malaria and diarrhoea. Seven children were treated for severe malnutrition.
Seven lorryloads of food reached the Vanni through Pramanalankulam in late December. According to Vavuniya Government Agent K Ganesh 1,041 lorryloads of food was sent to the Vanni in 2000. Observers say the region needs several times that amount.
In Vavuniya District, the Airforce shot dead A Kamalanathan and S Sivakumar on 11 December at Poovarasankulam, alleging that they were LTTE members. Cheddikulam resident K Selvakumar, 42, was abducted from his house on 15 December and murdered. As a group allied to the Army is suspected, the Vavuniya court ordered the military commander to co-operate in investigations. In mid-December, the Army searched Vavuniya town to track down six Black Tiger suicide bombers.