Jaffna curfew may be lifted temporarily

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 18 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Security Forces Commander (North), Major General Lional Balagalle said this week that if the people of the Jaffna wanted the curfew in the peninsula lifted for the midnight vigil during Mahasivaraththri which is observed by Tamil Saivites annually, he was prepared to consider the request with favour, said sources in Jaffna.

He said that only devotees participating in 'poojas' at Naguleswaram temple at Keerimalai in Jaffna had made this request up to yesterday.

But if other requests were to be made, he said that he was prepared to respond to them positively.

Meanwhile, S. Kirupairaja, Democratic Peoples' Liberation Front (DPLF) organiser for the Jaffna District wrote to Major General Balagalle asking him to lift the curfew.