Black flag protests across Amparai irk STF
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 February 2004, 18:14 GMT]
Tension escalated in Thirukovil and Akkaraipattu areas in
Amparai when the Special Task Force (STF) soldiers tried
to remove black flags from the roadsides, public buildings
and businesses, security sources said.
In Akkaraipattu youths protested by blocking STF's vehicle, and
tied back the removed black flags. Residents said, many Muslim
youths participated in the protest and helped to reinstall
the flags. STF soldiers left the area without retaliation, residents
said. Public protested in Thirkovil when the STF soldiers tried to
remove the black flags from the area. STF insisted that
according the MoU black flags cannot be flown within 200m
from the STF camp. Local residents, however, did not accede
to STF' request and tied the black flags back. Meanwhile, more than one hundred people assembled in front
of Parliamentarian ChandraNehru's house and protested waving black flags. "Tamils have been denied their freedom. Parliamentariansmust work hard to obtain the freedom or refrain from attending Sri Lanka's parliament," the demonstrators shouted. Sources said, the parliamentarian was not in his residence during the protest. Throughout tamil areas of Amparai, Sri Lanka's Independence day was observed as a day of mourning, according to residents there.
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