At the time of the order, there were 20,000 refugees - 7,000 from areas now controlled by the Army in Vavuniya District, 3,000 from Jaffna and 10,000 from LTTE-held Vanni, including Mannar. The government also decided to transfer the 10,000 Vanni refugees who cannot be immediately resettled, to Palampiddy, further north. UNHCR says facilities at Palampiddy are inadequate. Mannar refugees in similar situation will be sent to Pesali or other refugee camps.
Over 1,000 Jaffna refugees staged a protest before the UNHCR office in Madhu, expressing their desire to remain in Mannar. They say that there is no likelihood of being resettled in their home areas and fishing restrictions in Jaffna will affect their livelihood.
Sixteen soldiers were injured in an LTTE landmine attack on 21 May in Mannar. Further south in Puttalam District, Muslim refugees demonstrated on 14 May demanding the release of 67 refugees arrested two days earlier. Police say they were using electricity illegally, but agreed to grant them bail.