The Tigers fired over 20 shells into Batticaloa town on 24 August, killing two civilians, including four year-old A Sulakshanadevi and two soldiers. Another 21 civilians, 18 soldiers and six PLOTE members were injured. The Army subsequently shelled Paruthichenai killing Y Yathur Rajah.
Unidentified persons fired into crowds at the Hindu Mamankam temple festival on 1 August injuring three people. In a grenade attack the following day near the temple, a policeman was killed and six others injured. The bodies of six Sinhalese villagers who went into the jungle for firewood were found on 4 August at Migaswewa, 20 miles north of Polonnaruwa.
Following a LTTE attack on a military post in Valaichenai on 27 August in Karuvakerni in which a soldier was injured, the Army shelled populated areas of Vinayagapuram and Peithalai injuring five civilians.
The Army stopped all bus services to LTTE-controlled Vaharai, 20 miles north of Valaichenai, in mid-August, thus preventing people taking food and fuel into the area. Batticalao GA AK Pathmanathan says there is acute shortage of food and prices have risen sharply. NGOs have been forced to limit their work and rehabilitation projects of NGO the Eastern Human Economic Development Centre in Vaharai have come to a standstill.
The military has also prohibited Health Department’s mobile health units into LTTE areas where over 90,000 people live. Several NGOs which have applied to begin projects in these areas have been denied permission. Reports say as a result of insufficient food for many months, over 45% of students are malnourished. Around 1,700 still live in refugee camps in Batticaloa District. Over 25,600 other refugees live with friends and relatives and depend on dry rations issued by the government.
Further south in Amparai District the Special Task Force carried out major search operations in early August. Over 500 Tamils were rounded-up in Karaitivu on 7 August and three people detained following interrogation near Kannagi Amman temple. Over 1,500 people were rounded-up in Periyakallaru and Periyaneelavanai on 11 August.
Reports say that the murder of Thiraikerni Village Development Society President Ilayathamby Mylapody on 9 July is not being investigated. Mr Mylapody has been involved in the resettlement of refugees and had complained about police and Home Guard involvement in illegal tree felling in the jungles.