Vaharai update
29 December 2006
Vaharai people protests
The besieged Vaharai people staged a massive protest march on Friday calling on the international community to come to Vaharai to see the conditions in which they are being held in a state of besiege by the Sri Lankan military.
The marchers submitted a detailed list of requests to the United Nations Secretary General. In their letter, they said that there are 15,000 people from 3000 families in Vaharai. Some of them are displaced from Sampur and others are residents of Vaharai they said in their letter.
They requested, to end the blockade that has isolated them, allow essential relief items to reach them, allow the movement of ambulance through to Batticaloa hospital, put the educational needs of the children in order, stop artillery attack on refugee camps, declare Vaharai hospital and school and safe haven, and halt the construction of the coal electricity generation plant in Sampur.
28 December 2006
Sri Lankan Air force Kfirs bombed Verukal area in Vaharai on 28 December. The Murukan Hindu temple in Verukal was flattened by the bombs. No one was hurt because everyone has displaced further south.
27 December 2006
On 27 December the shelling intensified. Three from one family, Nisanthini (aged 8), Sayanthan (aged 13) and Amutha (aged 23), were injured in the shelling. Live stock and life sustaining trees and plants were also destroyed. People are running from place to place yet again.
26 December 2006
Vaharai suffered badly in the Boxing day tsunami and thousands died. The two year anniversary on 26 December was the annual day of community events to remember that fateful event and loss. It is a day that plays an important role in the recovery of a people from a tragic loss.
On 26 December, Sri Lankan military fired artillery shells among the people gathered for the anniversary commemoration. Sri Lankan Air Force Kfirs were also bombing Vaharai at the same time.
27 December 2006
NOTE: The report reveals the plight in which thousands of women, children and men: Civilians that are caught in inhumane life-threatening conditions. One ventures to ask however, as to why both the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and the LTTE are reluctant to come to an agreement - in light of desperate humanitarian needs to 'release' the Tamil people from Vaharai, where intense fighting is taking place, to a safe haven out side the conflict zone..