Hartal shuts down Amparai district

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 19 August 2003, 11:01 GMT]
Normal life in secretariat divisions of the Ampara district was disrupted Tuesday as people observed a general shut down (hartal) in protest to the killings of two Muslim persons on Sunday night at Sammanthurai, police said

Shops belonging to all communities were closed down and transport services in the district came to a standstill. Government offices did not function as employees boycotted work. Modern market complex in Kalmunai was also closed for the day, sources said.

Meanwhile, Amparai district Muslim religious leaders and their institutions appealed to their community not to resort to any violence against Tamils and to safeguard Tamils' interest.

Amparai district Jamath Ulama Council said the Tamil agricultural workers engaged in paddy harvesting have been provided with security, sources said.

Several youths were seen burning tyres on the Kalmunai-Akkaraipattu main road and several places in the district. General shut down affected the normalcy in several villages in the including Maruthamunai, Natpittimunai, Kalmunai, Sainthamaruthu, Nintavur, Maligaikadu, Mavadipallai, Olvuil and Palamaunai in the Amparai district, police said

In the meantime, Tamil sources said that a group of persons attacked Tamil agricultural workers at Andiaatta junction in Veeramunai. The workers were taken to Veeramunai Chinthahturai Pilliayar temple for safety. The attack is said to have taken place while the Police was present at the scene. The injured, later identified as Kandasamy Kaththamuthu (32), Muttucumaru Sinnathurai (Sellathurai Aththithan (28) Muttucumaru Wijeyan (20) and Perumal Suntharamoorthy (27), were all from Muttur area who had gone to Batticaloa for Yala season paddy harvesting, Tamil sources claimed.

Eastern Province Deputy Inspector General of Police (Deputy IGP) said Tuesday more police and army personnel had been deployed in the Amparai district to maintain law and order, sources said.

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