Trapped Vanni teachers agitate in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 05 June 2007, 20:53 GMT]
More than a hundred male and female teachers from Vanni, currently stranded in Jaffna peninsula when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) closed A9 route in August 2006, staged a sit-in-protest in front of the Jaffna Education Office and the Additional Provincial Director's office located near Muththiraichchanthi in Nalloor Tuesday, demanding temporary places of work within Jaffna peninsula, sources in Jaffna said.

Nearly 1050 teachers were trapped in Jaffna peninsula after visiting their homes during the August vacation in 2006.

Only 350 of these stranded teachers were able to get placed in Jaffna peninsula schools mainly due to the recommendations of Eealm Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) Minister Douglas Devananda.

The rest of the Vanni teachers who could not get temporary placements in Jaffna peninsula had earlier complained and had called off their protests on the assurances of the SLA Jaffna Commander Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri, one of the affected teachers said.

The protests were withdrawn not only on the assurances but also when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) personnel started visiting the agitators and intimidating them, another affected teacher added.

The protesting Vanni teachers dispersed in the afternoon Tuesday. The sit-in- protest will continue Wednesday, said the spokesperson for the teachers.

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