On the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Government has initiated a programme to ensure an uninterrupted supply of food and other essential items to the people in the North and East. Under this programme, food items needed by Jaffna residents will be transported by ship, while food supplies to other areas will be sent overland to Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya districts including to the uncleared areas.

The Commissioner General of Essential Services S.B. Divaratne is coordinating this programme with the Government Agents of the relevant districts. Commissioner General Divaratne said the distribution of food items sent last week by ship to Jaffna was underway successfully through the Co-op Societies.

The first stock of 1600 metric tons of food items sent to Jaffna by sea from Colombo a few days ago have been unloaded, and the goods are being distributed throughout the peninsula. At the same time steps have been taken to send sufficient food stocks continuously to the uncleared areas in Kilinochchi, Mulaithivu and Vavuniya districts.

Another shipment of essential food items such as rice, flour, dhal, milk powder and infant milk food will be sent to Jaffna later this week. The Commissioner General said that the next ship is expected to sail either on Wednesday or Thursday. He added that these food stocks would fulfil the requirements listed by the Divisional Secretaries of Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Vavuniya.

The Commissioner General said that the Joint Operations Command had instructed the entry point at Omanthai in Vavuniya to allow the food lorries to proceed to the uncleared areas. Subsequently 46 lorries carrying food supplies passed through the Omanthai checkpoint. Of the total, 23 lorry loads are bound for Kilinochchi, 15 for Mulaithivu and 8 for Vavuniya. He added that another shipload of 900 metric tons comprising wheat flour will be sent to Jaffna shortly.

The assistance of the ICRC is also obtained as and when necessary, for the transportation of food and its distribution.