Reports say that in January, 17 people were killed in the Jaffna peninsula. Unidentified gunmen shot dead Nixon near Jaffna town on 4 January. On 23 January, the Army killed fisherman A Thiviyarajah in Gurunagar for violating curfew. The LTTE shot dead PP Nishan at Kopay on the same day. Tamil group PLOTE’s Jaffna organiser T Chandramohan was killed by gunmen in Jaffna town on 25 January. S Thayalaruban 17, who was returning home after attending a cultural event was shot dead by the Army on 31 January in Udupiddy.
The Army continues search operations in Jaffna, particularly in southern Thenmaratchy, where LTTE cadre from the Vanni are suspected to enter the peninsula. Reports say the Army and the LTTE clashed at Thanankilappu near Chavakachcheri on 18 January. Following the fighting, the Army handed over six bodies to Jaffna hospital. Two soldiers were killed in a landmine attack on 26 January in Jaffna town.
Complaints have been made to the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission that the Army has arrested many youths in southern Thenmaratchy and northern Vadamaratchy. In these cases, receipts confirming arrests had not been issued to relatives. Three youths, including Rajappu Peter, 19, of Point Pedro were detained in mid-January. S Selvaratnam of Kayts Island has been removed by the security forces to Colombo for interrogation. A Kanagaratnam was detained in Valvettithurai on 14 January. Two days later, N Vasanthan, 15, was arrested in Nallur.
Jaffna’s local councillors continue to receive death threats from the LTTE. EPDP’s Valikamam councillor Nadarajah Sivarajah, 60, was killed near Kopay in early February. TELO’s Valvettithurai Town Council member Jacob Anthony was shot dead in Nelliady on 11 January.
There is shortage of food in Jaffna. Potato is sold at Rs 350 a kilo. Although the ship Ocean Success is authorised to carry food transported by private traders, disputes among traders in January continued to cause disruption. Shortage of medicines and medical equipment in the Jaffna hospital is badly affecting service, reports say.
A recent NGO survey in Jaffna indicates that 67% of students are malnourished and 10,000 children remain without primary education as a result of poverty. Around 9,000 young men and women are unemployed in the peninsula and 20,000 widows suffer without proper income or regular support.