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The United Nations Office in Colombo said yesterday that in response to the evolving security situation, staff working in the rehabilitation programmes, including mine clearing, would be withdrawn starting from yesterday. "Over the past few years, the United Nations family of agencies have conducted both emergency relief and rehabilitation programmes in the Jaffna peninsula. As of 27th April, there were just over sixty UN staff and subcontracted personnel located in Jaffna," said the statement issued by the UN Office. "UN staff working in emergency relief programmes in Jaffna are not being redeployed and the UN's capacity to deliver emergency assistance will remain unaffected". Several other aid agencies are said to be watching the progress of the heavy fighting between the government forces and the Tigers, in north of Elephant Pass. Several foreign employees of aid agencies have also expressed their fears and disappointments of the development measures that had already taken place in the Jaffna peninsula, if the Tigers manage to get hold of Jaffna. "Rehabilitation efforts would go down the drain," they said. However, other aid agencies like Care International, German rehabilitation agency GTZ and Save the Children Fund are assessing the situation in the north. Meanwhile, civilians in the uncleared areas of the Wanni are reported to be facing a shortage of medical supplies. According to Vavuniya officials, everything possible is been done in their end to send supplies amidst various clearance and security situations.
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