Child dies

AS 200 unemployed eastern graduates launched a protest in late June before Trincomalee’s provincial Education Ministry demanding employment, 1,000 refugees in the Uppuveli Glass Factory camp staged a hunger strike demanding to be returned to their homes in the Jaffna peninsula.

The refugees say their children remain without education and health facilities in the camp are minimal. Two year-old Pradeepkumar died of disease in the camp on 25 June. Reports say a number of children in the camp are ill. The refugees ended the fast after political party leaders assured appropriate action, but said protests would resume if they are not sent to Jaffna before 2 July as promised. Reports say the ship Democracy will be employed from July to transport refugees to Jaffna.

The Army is said to have captured coastal territory between Kuchchaveli and Pulmoddai, north of Trincomalee, in Operation Jayabhoomi (Victorious Earth) launched on 30 May. The operation was designed to check Sea Tiger movement along the eastern coast, security sources say.

In early June, security forces carried out search operations in Trincomalee town. The military also introduced new rules for fishermen, allegedly to curb LTTE infiltration. Fishermen who want to fish in the night must leave for sea before 6pm and return only after 6am.


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