As Navy Commander Cecil Tissera appointed a four-member committee to investigate, Trincomalee naval base employee Nalini Subramaniam was taken into custody, suspected of providing naval intelligence to the Tigers. Observers believe that the attack has serious implications for safety of ships to Jaffna as the Army struggles for the tenth month to open a land supply route through LTTE-controlled Vanni.
Jaffna’s Army Commander Lionel Balagalle says the Tigers have also stepped-up attacks in the peninsula since the local election on 29 January. As Mr Balagalle met journalists on 15 February at Palaly, two soldiers were killed at Pandatharippu, eight miles west of the Airforce base.
The LTTE attacked Army positions at Gurunagar in Jaffna town three days earlier and burned a bunker. Tigers ambushed and killed seven soldiers at Mirusuvil on 16 February. Four civilians suffered injuries in a LTTE grenade attack at Kodikamam on 22 February. Three days later the naval base at Kilali came under Sea Tiger attack.
The Jaffna government secretariat said in late February that landmines are affecting resettlement of displaced people. Reports say the government has approved a UN plan for clearing landmines in Jaffna, under the overall responsibility of the peninsula’s Army Commander. Experts believe that 100,000 mines lie buried in Jaffna, where, 16 peoples were killed and 111 injured last year by mines.
Jaffna people are deeply concerned over clashes among Tamil groups which participated in the local elections. Three were injured when EPDP and PLOTE cadre fought in Jaffna town on 11 February. Following the incident, EPDP abducted five PLOTE members from Kayts Island west of the peninsula. Following an attack on EPDP’s office in Chavakachcheri on 17 February, in which a civilian was injured, Jaffna Commander Balagalle decreed that offices for each party in Jaffna town will be restricted to one. Following complaints from the people, the Tamil parties were also barred from raising funds.
The Jaffna NGO consortium says diseases are causing concern and shortage of medicines and doctors continue. Only 20% of malathion insecticide needed to prevent malaria is currently received. According to the Jaffna Municipal Council, 41 people died of malaria and 101 of diarrhoea in 1997. Reports say 16 more people died of malaria in January this year. Last year 205 children and 14 mothers died during childbirth.