Over 1,000 people were taken to the police station, questioned and later released. Reports say that the 4,000 fishing families are relieved now that fish can be sent to southern markets. But farmers who fled to LTTE-controlled Madhu area are angry over the military s refusal to allow them to return to their fields to harvest 15,000 acres of rice. Further south in Puttalam District, security forces conducted a search in Manaltivu Tamil village on 5 March and detained 20 people. Over 1,200 people in Udappu were interrogated on 29 March and another 20 taken into custody.
Police say they are from the north.
Back to Sri Lanka Monitor Index page. Back to The Refugee Council Welcome page.