Mannar, Vavuniya paralysed by protest

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 December 2004, 05:35 GMT]
Vavuniya and Mannar towns were paralysed Thursday due to a general shut down (Hartal) called by several public organisations to protest against attacks on civilians by Sri Lankan armed forces. Protestors blocked roads and burnt tires in some parts of Vavuniya town Thursday morning. The A9 highway and the Omanthai entry/exit point in Omanthai, 15 kilometres north of Vavuniya were closed due to the hartal. There were no incidents in Mannar although the town was generally deserted, Police said.

The Federation Vavuniya Students' Organisations called the general shut down in the northern border town in protest against the incident on 25 November in which Sri Lanka army opened fire into a crowd in Veppankulam, a suburb of Vavuniya, injuring six. The Hartal is also a protest against Sri Lankan armed forces attacks on civilians in Jaffna, according to organisers.

Mannar hartal was called by the consortium of public organisations.