Date: Friday, 8 May, 2009, 6:34 AM

7 May 2009

We are referring to the 165,000 Tamil people who are trapped in the Mullivaikkal area of Wanni


7 May 2009 - Today ICRC ship arrived with 25 MT foods and more than 400 injured civilians and their relations were sent.

Antibiotics were brought by ship and this can be used for at least 10 days and other drugs were not brought.

Day time was silence and after ICRC leaving fight stared and many shells hit Mullivaikkal beach area and few shells falls inside the civilian’s area.

54 wounded civilians admitted to hospital and 4 reported deaths at hospital up to 6 pm but heavy shelling started around 6 pm including cluster bombs so many wounded civilians may come.

Many civilians are in the bunker after 6 pm.

There were deaths outside and not registered.



FOOD SITUATUON in Mullivaikal, Vanni

We have to bring to your esteemed notice the tragic situation of our people who are in the grip of starvation and general want. The food situation is desperately low and majority of the people can no longer survive the sorry state of affairs. We are referring to the 165,000 Tamil people who are trapped in the Mullivaikkal area of Wanni in extent approximately eight square kilometers. The government has imposed an economic blockade which includes a ban on rice, vegetables, curry stuffs, milk powder for infants and lactating mothers, medicines and medical equipments.

The food situation is a glaring reality and should be taken into account by the International community to prevent the repetition of the Ethiopian food crisis in this part of the world.

We appeal to you, the right thinking leaders of the western world who profess Christian faith to intervene on behalf of the starving people and give their daily bread.

We wish to humbly point out that it is your responsibility to protect and nourish the suffering people in the hour of desperate need.

We hope that you will do the needful to activate the WFP to rise to the occasion and satisfy the food needs of these people. For your attention we repeat that number of people living in the above area is not less than 165,000 and that not a single grain of rice lies in the food stores without being distributed to the people.

Apart from the WFP, several humanitarian associations have shown interest in providing food to these people. But due to the lack of co-operation from the government nothing tangible has resulted. For example the Tamil Diaspora is very keen to transport food, medicine, milk foods and other essential food stuffs to the starving people. But this too cannot materialize unless permission is obtained from the government which is unlikely. There is even talk of food air drops by powerful governments such as the USA and the EU. But this will lead to further complications such as international law of sovereignty. Desperate situations require desperate remedies and air drops cannot be excluded. Therefore we appeal that extreme measures of air drops be adopted to prevent a starvation crisis in the Wanni.

We appeal to the powers concerned to take this into consideration and adopt whatever measure is suitable in this context.

It is your responsibility to make a personal visit to the above area and assess the situation for yourself without giving ear to propaganda and or misrepresentation.

Time is of the essence and already more than twenty five starvation deaths have occurred and the number is likely to increase in the near future unless food stocks are rushed in. We hope that you will do the needful to save the lives of these people.