Navy thwarts EPDP publicity stunt

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 29 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The opening of the Karainagar causeway which was scheduled for Deepavali day tomorrow has been postponed due to objections by the Sri Lanka Navy. Deepavali is an important event in the Hindu calendar.

The EPDP had made arrangements with the Sri Lankan government to have the causeway opened by Mr. Sivathasan, one of its MPs for Jaffna (who was elected in 1994 August by a total of 12 votes) on Deepavali, to make some political mileage in Jaffna.

The Sri Lanka navy's northern commander inspected the causeway recently and decided that more work had to be done.

Informed sources, however say that the Sri Lankan Navy in Karainagar is not too keen to have the EPDP turning the opening ceremony into an occasion for entering the island.

The Navy is not very happy with the manner in which the EPDP is trying to spread its influence in the islands off the Jaffna peninsula.

It seems to think that the group might interfere in the running of the administration in the islands - particularly the smaller ones.

The EPDP has finished building a vessel for transporting people and goods between all the islands. The service will be based in Kayts, said sources in Jaffna. The profits that could potentially accrue to the group from this boat service would be immense.

However, the Navy is not too enthusiastic about the EPDP's plans for the islands because it thinks that the ex-militant group is now abstaining from anti-LTTE operations for political reasons.

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