In Jaffna alone more than 80,000 houses were affected. The Jaffna government secretariat says 47,000 houses need to be constructed immediately in the peninsula to accommodate internally displaced persons seeking resettlement. NGOs have pledged to reconstruct 7,500 houses. Local people say government programmes are inadequate to solve the problem of shelter. Many houses are still occupied by security forces and a large number lie within military high security zones (HSZ).
A number of other problems also continue to affect the population. Fishermen complained to the SLMM that the Army banned fishing in Thondamanaru lagoon in the Jaffna district, from 22 February. The Army has not given any reason for the ban. The lagoon lies near the HSZ which includes the Palaly airport. Many fishermen in Vadamaratchi area were affected by the ban. The ban was lifted only after the SLMM and the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission (HRC) made representations to the Army.
Indian fishermen are accused of attacking S Selvarajah, S Selvamohan and K Sivananthan, on 23 February, while fishing at sea north of Jaffna. S Selvarajah went missing following the attack and his body was later found. In late March, fisherman Michaelpillai Jeyasingham was killed when his boat was rammed by a naval vessel.
There is concern over rising crime in Jaffna. At a meeting of Grama Sevakas (Village Headmen) in late March, Additional Magistrate S Nanthasekaran said that more crimes were committed in Jaffna than any other part of Sri Lanka. The crimes include murder, robbery, rape and theft. The body of a Karainagar resident was found on 10 January at Madduvil in southern Thenmaratchy. The HRC has received a complaint that Ilavalai trader C Kamalasuthan, 25, is missing since 17 February.
Jewellry owner S Ratheeskumar was seriously wounded by masked gunmen on Dutch road in Chavakachcheri on 21 February. S Thuvarahan, 15, was also seriously injured in the attack. According to the police, the gunmen escaped with Jewellry worth Rs 10 million ($101,000). Gurunagar resident V Sivaloganathan was killed on 23 February by an explosive device near Ariyalai, east of Jaffna town. A. Prasanna and S. Johnson suffered serious injuries.
The Landmine Clearance Co-ordinating Committee in the Jaffna government secretariat has identified 100 areas for clearance in 2004. The Committee says 6,900 landmines and 5,100 other explosive devices were cleared in 376,000 sq metres in 2003. In the Jaffna District, 54 people, including 14 students, were injured by landmines last year.