LTTE is accused of closing the sluice gates of the Maavilaru dam in Trincomalee, denying water to thousands of farmers. Fighting ensues over control of the waterway.
Source
Denial of Water to Civilians by the LTTE – Blatant Contravention of International Law, SCOPP report, 24 July 2006; Water and war in Sri Lanka, BBC, 3 August 2006.
Quotation
"The Government of Sri Lanka, at the highest levels, has repeatedly called upon the LTTE, through the Norwegian facilitators and the SLMM, to restore the water supply to over 15,000 families in the Trincomalee District who have been deprived of water since the LTTE forcibly closed the Mawilaru Anicut on Thursday 20 July 2006. The Government of Sri Lanka has also raised the matter with the diplomatic community and international organizations. There is agreement that the denial of water to civilians by the LTTE is a blatant contravention of all norms of civilized behavior and the rules of international law." Government statement.
