SUMMARY

The SLMM continued to receive reports and complaints on abductions in the Eastern Region, with a number of eight in total. The Karuna group/TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) was reportedly involved in four of the cases. The police reported to the SLMM it had received complaints that the group forcefully held about 45 people in their office in Thirukoil on 1 August.

 

The unrest continued in Jaffna, where the SLMM received reports on 10 assassinations during the week. Meanwhile, high commodity prices raised further concern in the district, affecting daily life and halting the regional economy.

 

Six Claymore mines went off during the week in the Eastern and Northern Region combined, claiming four lives and one casualty.

 

 

EASTERN REGION

 

Military Operations:

Some military activities were reported in the east, and a confrontation close to Thabalagamuwa between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on 1 August resulted in three dead LTTTE cadres and four injured civilians.

 

On 2 August a Claymore mine exploded nearby a police patrol in Kokkadichcholai. No one was injured. On 3 August two LTTE suspects were killed by Security Forces (SF) in Vellawely .

 

Occasional shelling was reported by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) from Nilaveli, due to LTTE cadres moving north. The SLMM was told by the SLN no major operations were carried out, since the commuting LTTE were considered to be disorganised.

 

Restoration of Normalcy:

The SLMM received reports of eight civilians abducted during the week. Four were abducted by unknown gunmen, which, according to the police, used police-like uniforms in two of the cases. The Karuna group/TMVP and the SLA were pointed out as the perpetrators in one case each. In addition to the abductions reported to the police, the SLMM received four further complaints, three allegedly orchestrated by the Karuna group/TMVP and the other by the SLA. The police reported to the SLMM it had received complaints that the group forcefully held about 45 people in their office in Thirukoil on 1 August.

 

One assassination was reported during the week. The victim was a man, age 46, who was shot dead in Periyaveli on 31 August.

 

In meetings with local leaders, the SLMM learned that the Mutur population still had not been able to return to normalcy, since the ongoing unstable security situation prevented people from taking up economic activities. Fishing restrictions, however, had been eased, allowing fishermen to move 2kms from the shore.

 

 

NORTHERN REGION

 

Military Operations:

Shelling was heard from the Jaffna fort in the city of Jaffna towards Pooneryn and Muhamalai on several occasions. In Vavuniya district, sporadic shelling was recorded from the Pampaimadu area towards LTTE controlled area throughout the week. Some shelling was also reported from the north of Vanni.

 

According to the LTTE PS (Peace Secretariat), the SLN carried out shelling from the sea towards the coastal areas of Mullaithivu on 30 July. No casualties were reported.

 

Three SLA soldiers and one LTTE cadre were reported killed by Claymore mines on 31 July in the Maseri area and 3 of August in Madu, respectively. Another Claymore detonation injured a SLA soldier close to Mannar on 3 August. Two further Claymores went off with no casualties reported; on 30 July in Jaffna and 4 August in Pallamadu in Vanni, in which the latter a civilian bus was hit.

 

Small arms fire, supposedly by the LTTE, was directed at a SLA bunker in Mannar on 3 August. No casualties were reported.

 

Restoration of Normalcy:

There were eight assassinations of civilians reported by the authorities during the week, the majority in Jaffna district. The SLA said the assassinations were carried out by unknown gunmen.

 

On 31 July three men were shot dead in the Jaffna area. Two men, age 42 and 21, were shot dead in the city of Jaffna in two separate incidents. The first had supposed links to the Eelam People’s Democractic Party (EPDP). The same day another man, age 21, was killed in Thirunalveli. On 2 August further three men were reported killed. One man was shot dead in Thirunalveli, while another man was assassinated in the city of Jaffna. In addition a 22-year-old journalist student was shot dead at his home in Kokkuvil. The LTTE claimed the SLA to be responsible for the latter incident. On 3 August a man, age 25, was shot dead in Thirunalveli.

 

The SLMM received information on two more assassinations from the LTTE PS. A man, age 22, was killed in Maseri on 31 July. In addition, a 25-year-old student was shot and killed inside the Jaffna Municipal Council on 2 August. The SLA was pointed out as the perpetrator in both cases by the LTTE.

 

On 31 July, the SLMM attended the first meeting with the Local Monitoring Committee (LMC) in Jaffna since December 2006. Issues of concern on this and other meetings held in Jaffna were the high prices on necessity items, a general halt in the economy, increased difficulties to enter the city of Jaffna, an increase of military round-ups and house searches, emigration of skilled labour and fishing restrictions.

 

 

ADMINISTRATION

The SLMM was strengthened with an additional staff member, who would function as Legal Advisor.

 

Three monitors from the Northern Regional Office spent most of the week in Jaffna.