The fate of 656 people disappeared in Jaffna last year remains unknown. The Jaffna Organisation of the Parents of the Disappeared says in a petition to President Chandrika Kumaratunge in late May that there are witnesses to the arrests of the disappeared by the Army. Over 500 members of the organisation demonstrated before the Jaffna government secretariat on 12 May.
In mid-May a committee appointed by the Defence Ministry recorded evidence relating to 16 disappearances in Atchuvely. But people have little confidence in the enquiry and say the investigations should be by an independent committee headed by a judge. A habeas corpus application before the Court of Appeal in May says Jaffna University student Sinniah Somaskanthan arrested in the peninsula on 12 August last year, has disappeared.
Continuing allegations of torture in custody in Jaffna alarm human rights agencies. Fisherman Thangavel Gunavel, 21, says in a fundamental rights application to the Supreme Court that he was held at Anaikottai Army camp for 50 days and brutally tortured. His fingers were bandaged and set alight after pouring petrol over them. He alleges that blood was removed from his body on several occasions.
Jaffna remains tense. Security forces handed over the bodies of three youths to the Jaffna hospital on 11 May. One of them is said to have committed suicide by taking cyanide, a Tiger hallmark, and another had been shot dead by the Army at Sandilipai.
LTTE infiltration, even in the heavily defended Jaffna town, continues. The Army suspects that many Tiger cadre are hidden among civilians. Four soldiers travelling in a tractor were killed in a landmine attack on 16 May at Chunnakam. A 80 year-old man also died in the explosion. Following the incident, soldiers fired indiscriminately injuring 11 civilians. In another LTTE landmine attack at Manipay on 29 May two civilians were killed.
Senior government officer in Jaffna the Government Agent (GA) says in a report to the Defence Ministry that only 44% of the Jaffna population of 974,000 is currently in the peninsula. Of the 250,000 who have returned to home areas from Vadamaratchy, Thenmaratchy and the Vanni, 76% have been resettled. Others continue to remain in refugee camps.
Food distribution continues to remain a problem in the peninsula. A new Jaffna University research indicates that 50% of the children are malnourished because nutritious food is not reaching the population in sufficient quantities.