Manpower needs are expected to delay reconstruction and reports say the Jaffna government secretariat lacks the money needed to fill the vacancies. New Mayor Sarojini Yogeswaran has demanded more funds from Colombo for the development of Jaffna town.
In early March, UNHCR and Japanese embassy officials visited Jaffna to assess funding needs for reconstruction. Jaffna requires 240 buses but only 39 are currently available. Jaffna MPs say most of the 100 buses sent during local elections in January are unusable.
Jaffna MP R Ramamurthy told Parliament in early March that malaria caused an increasing number of deaths in Jaffna. There is a shortage of malathion insecticide and the Jaffna hospital continues to suffer shortages of specialists, nurses and medical equipment. Medical supplies to Jaffna are always delayed, because of the mandatory Defence Ministry permits for transport of medicines. Mr Ramamurthy says such permits are an unnecessary requirement while the Army is in control of the peninsula.
Sri Lankan press reports say disabled woman, S Selvarani, 28, was abducted at Nayuruvi in Meesalai area, two miles north-east of Chavakachcheri and raped by four soldiers on 17 March. The Army has issued a statement denying that soldiers were involved.
Relatives of disappeared youths plan a demonstration demanding a satisfactory response from the Human Rights Commission (HRC) whose Jaffna office was opened in January. The HRC has acknowledged receipt of 282 complaints. Relatives suspect that some of the youths missing are held in the camps of Tamil militant groups EPDP and PLOTE and have urged the HRC to investigate.