CTTU members strike

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 July 2000, 16:14 GMT]
Schools in the northeast province did not function Friday as Tamil medium principals and teachers in the northeast province went on a one-day strike. Students did not attend schools responding to an appeal made by the Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU). The protest was supported by Ceylon Muslim Teachers Union and Muslim Teachers Congress.

Eastern University staffs, non-tutorial employees and students several local trade unions have also expressed their support to the CTTU's protest.

The Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union organized this protest strike demanding that the Government fulfill their six demands.

The demands are:

• 1. While condemning the government's decision to continue the war and the aerial attacks on civilian targets, the CTTU demands that the war should be stopped forthwith and to initiate talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam through the mediation of Norway and India.
• 2. The CTTU demands the government not to compel the teachers to pay two day salary to the Defense Fund as the war is executed against the Tamil community.
  
  
• 3. The CTTU requests the Government to take immediate steps to declare the Trincomalee Affiliated University College as a campus of the East University.
  
  
• 4. The CTTU requests the authorities to take immediate steps to reopen the Batticaloa Vipulananda Music and Dance College.
  
  
• 5. To take immediate steps to complete the distribution of Tamil medium textbooks to students.
  
  
• 6. The CTTU requests the government to pay all salary arrears since 1995 and the risk allowance for the for the year 1999 immediately.