The UN has sought more security assurances from the authorities following the discovery of some explosives and banned material in a lorry that was to be a part of a convoy carrying food and other essential items for civilians caught up in the fighting in the Wanni.
UN spokesperson Gordon Weiss said the UN was treating the matter seriously as the incident created some anxious moments for the Wanni- bound ‘mercy mission’ and the end result was that only 51 of the 60 trucks were able to make the trip.
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| Security forces personnel in Vavuniya employing sniffer dogs to check trucks joining the food convoy to the rebel-held areas in Wanni. |
The subversive material was found on lorries provided by the Government Agent, and therefore it was a matter of concern for all of us, Mr. Weiss said. “As of now the matter is resolved and we hope to go ahead with further convoys to the Wanni this week as well,” he said.
The find included C-4 explosives and a large stock of batteries.
In a statement issued earlier, the UN reiterated that such humanitarian convoys were protected under international law and condemned the attempt by unknown persons to disrupt the aid effort.
Military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara confirmed that the find was made on government supplied trucks and that a full-scale inquiry was being made.
Meanwhile another convoy of some 75 trucks carrying 650 tons of essential food and other items will be escorted by the UN into the LTTE-controlled areas of the Wanni on Thursday.
The items will be unloaded at five different points where a large number of civilians are known to be concentrated, Essential Services Commissioner S.B. Divaratna said.
Apart from the food and other essential items, the convoy would also, for the first time, include material that could be used for the setting up of temporary shelters at short notice, Mr. Divaratna said. | 
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