Elephant Pass is strategically important. Army Commander Srilal Weerasooriya says ‘whoever controls Elephant Pass controls Jaffna’. The Tigers hold Paranthan and a narrow strip of land north-east of Elephant Pass. The LTTE also launched assaults in Kerativu, south of Chavakachcheri.
Two soldiers were killed by a Tiger grenade in Chunnakam on 17 February. On the same day, a helicopter ferrying wounded soldiers from Elephant Pass was shot down near Kodikamam killing two crew members. EPDP member and former local councillor K Ketheeswaran was shot dead by suspected LTTE cadre at Navatkuli on 26 February. Jaffna Municipal councillor V A Sivalingam, 65, was killed on 1 March at home.
In late February, the Jaffna magistrate ordered the arrest of seven officers, including Army Captain Lalith Hewage in connection with disappearances. After the Army capture of Jaffna in 1996, over 400 civilians disappeared. On 21 February, K Kulasingham identified his daughter Sumathy’s clothes removed from a grave in Chemmani. The Army arrested Sumathy in August 1996.
Over 6,000 people participated in a demonstration on 6 February in Jaffna town demanding the removal of the ban on fishing imposed on 11 December. They say there is an effort to undermine the two main economic activities of the Jaffna people - agriculture and fishing. A large part of the agricultural land lies within the military’s security zone and allegations are being made that there is little effort to improve access to southern markets for Jaffna produce.
Following instructions from President Chandrika and the Defence Ministry, Army’s Gamini Jayasundara announced on 27 February that fishing will be allowed in the lagoon off Pashayur and Gurunagar areas near Jaffna town from 1 March, between 5am and 4pm, upto two kilometres from the shore.