SLA lifts curfew on New Year eve

[TamilNet, Sunday, 30 December 2007, 20:21 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) high command in Palaali announced Sunday that the daily curfew which lasts from 9:00 p.m to 4:30 a.m. every night in Jaffna will be lifted Monday night to allow Jaffna residents to celebrate the arrival of new year, sources in Jaffna said. The curfew will again be reinstated from Tuesday, the new year, the announcement said.

A similar lifting of curfew for Christmas in the islets and peninsula did not result in any increased activity among residents participating in festivities.

Civil society sources said similar reaction from residents can be expected for the new year celebrations, and the relaxation of curfew is unlikely to have any discernible increase in new year festivities.