Tellipalai displaced fast demanding resettlement

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 January 2003, 15:21 GMT]
Hundreds of displaced people from villages surrounding the Sri Lanka Army HQ in Palaly Friday launched a fasting campaign in front of the office of the divisional secretariat at Tellipalai demanding that they should be allowed to resettle in their villages. The Valigaamam People's Forum (VPF) organised the fasting, sources said.

The fasting commenced around eight in the morning and ended at about five in the evening. The President of the Valigaamam People's Forum, Mr.K.Sivamaharasa presided the fasting.

More than twenty thousand families were displaced in 1990 from these villages. Since then the SLA has been occupying these areas and civilian buildings, picketers said.

Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians N.Raviraj, Mavai Senathirajah, G.G.Gajendrakumar and M.K.Sivajilingam participated in the fasting.

The Valigaamam People's Forum sources said that the fasting would continue from Monday until their demand is met.

"We will not allow the Tellipalai DS office to function from Monday", said a VPF activist.