The security forces also imposed a ban on fishing in the Jaffna lagoon on 1 November. The ban was lifted six days later, but 50 fishermen were taken into custody for fishing near LTTE-held Pooneryn area on the mainland. The Army has confiscated fishing nets and equipment worth Rs 5 million.
After the killing of journalist M Nimalarajan in October, three civilians have been murdered in Army-held areas. Local people suspect Tamil groups aligned to the Army. In early November, three youths were abducted by unidentified gunmen in a white van, the hallmark of Army death squads, at Amban, seven miles south-east of Point Pedro.
In mid-November, Airforce planes bombed Elephant Pass and Palai areas while the Tigers fired artillery shells towards Eluthumadduval further west. The Army launched Operation Kiniheera IV (Anvil) on 19 November and advanced towards Madduvil, three miles west of Chavakachcheri, to re-take the 15 mile road to Jaffna town. The military say 6 sq km territory was captured, but the road remains in Tiger hands.
Both sides continued to fire shells causing civilian casualties. Two people were killed by shells in Kodikamam in mid-November. Student S Mayuran, 11, died in an LTTE grenade attack on a checkpoint at Anaikottai in mid-November. Two other civilians suffered serious injuries.
A soldier died in another grenade attack in Jaffna town on 17 November. In the Army shooting that followed, civilian N Sarojinidevi was killed. The LTTE’s Pistol Group shot and wounded two policemen in the town in late November. The security forces shot dead A Muraleetharan in a revenge attack. Jaffna MP A Vinayagamurthy says that in early November, Point Pedro resident R Gnanambigai was raped and murdered by Navy personnel. The MP has written to President Chandrika calling for immediate investigation.
The problems of Jaffna refugees have worsened in the current rains as many of the shelters in camps are not strong. Reports say hundreds of displaced families have not received the government relief payment of Rs 2000. In mid-November, new Northern Rehabilitation minister Douglas Devananda ordered immediate provision of relief to 116,000 families affected by war. November relief had been delayed for an investigation into the theft at a Rehabilitation Department food store in Gurunagar.