Hartal in northeast

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 October 2002, 09:03 GMT]
Shops remained closed and streets were deserted in all the towns in the northeast as a general shut down ('hartal') was observed in protest at the attacks on Tamil civilians in Trincomalee and Kanchirankuda. Black flags were hoisted on shops, houses and at public places. Burning tyres were seen on main roads, sources in several north-eastern towns said.

Deserted Vavuniya town, Saturday.

All public transport was brought to halt, except few privately owned busses while people remained in their homes.

Black flags were flown in many parts in Jaffna while protestors blocked roads with logs. The Sri Lanka army attempted to force open shops in Kodikamam and Atchuvely. Shop owners and businessmen however refused to comply with the SLA orders, sources in the northen peninsula said.

Jaffna University's annual convocation and Applied Science examination scheduled to be held at Vavuniya Campus Saturday have been postponed, university officials said.

Transport between Vavuniya and Jaffna on the A-9 highway has come to a halt and both Sri Lanka Army and LTTE sentry points at Omanthai and Muhamalai were deserted Saturday, the sources said.

Damaged ambulance at the Mutur hospital south of Trincomalee.

Reports from the eastern province say youths have blocked main roads by burning tyres and putting logs across them. In several places, the youths prevented the police from removing the makeshift roadblocks. In Valaichenai town, sombre music was played over loud hailers Saturday morning.

Three Tamils were killed and 36 wounded Friday during a peaceful hartal in the eastern port town when gunmen suspected to be Sinhala homeguards and activists of the Sinhala Nationalist Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) attacked the Tamil suburbs with grenades and gunfire.

Victims at the Trincomalee hospital, after Friday’s attack.

The Trincomalee hartal was itself being held in protest against the killing of seven protestors people by Special Task Force troops during a public demonstration outside an STF camp Wednesday. Fourteen people were wounded in the incident.