Vavuniya drama

DEPUTY DEFENCE MINISTER Anuruddha Ratwatte and senior military officers had= a close shave with death when mechanical failure forced their helicopter to= land in Tiger territory in Pampaimadu south of Vavuniya-Mannar road on 8= December. The 11 people in the minister=92s party, including Army Commander= Rohan Daluwatte and police chief WB Rajaguru, walked several miles in enemy= zone guided by a local Tamil farmer, before reaching safety. The helicopter= was destroyed on the ground to prevent it falling into Tiger hands. The= Tigers were apparently unaware of the incident while Colombo was alive with= nine different versions including styling it as an elaborate ruse for peace= talks with the LTTE. Perhaps because their capture would have been a major= military disaster.

Over 8,000 Tamils who wish to travel to Colombo= are currently held in welfare centres in and around Vavuniya. Refugee= Council=92s Chief Executive Nick Hardwick who visited the camps in early= December says people live in appalling conditions without adequate medical= and other facilities. Water is constantly in short supply and diarrhoea and= other diseases are spreading. Vanni MP R Shanmuganathan says ten people= have died of disease without proper medical attention. According to other= reports at least 50 youths have disappeared from the camps. People say= payment of Rs 50 per day for each person is insufficient and they have to= sell their possessions to keep life and limb together. A team of 12 doctors= led by UNP MP Jayalath Jayawardena was denied access to the welfare centres= in early December.

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