Food crisis in the Jaffna peninsula is very acute. There is scarcity of food items. There is also a price hike. Most of the people are unemployed. Majority of the people have no regular income. Therefore all parties must realize the human suffering of the people of Jaffna.

Rt Rev.Thomas Saundaranayagam, Bishop of Jaffna, sent a memorandum to the President outlining the problems of the people. He has cautioned that the people of Jaffna cannot be saved from death due to starvation unless A9 highway is re-opened or an alternative land route is opened.

Even the commodities distributed to the peninsula do not reach the consumers. They are sold at very high prices. The people cannot afford to buy. As a result even children and infants are severely hit.

The people of Jaffna who face the human sufferings request government officials and politicians to visit personally and assess the situation. People are also worried that even the non-governmental organizations do not air the grievances and that they are silent at a critical hour.

Even the UN, international Red Cross Society, UNICEF and other such international organizations that rush with aid and relief to war tone areas do not pay sufficient attention to the humanitarian crisis in Jaffna.

Therefore, it is essential that the government take appropriate meaningful steps to resolve the crisis.

An English translation of the Editorial in Virakesari, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo

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