Trinco observes general shut down

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 March 2005, 09:54 GMT]
Normal life in the Trincomalee town and its suburbs was disrupted Monday in responding to the call of the Trincomalee District Tamil Peoples' Forum putting forward six demands including that discrimination in providing tsunami relief to Tamil speaking people should be stopped, ensure equal distribution of aid sent by the international community to Tamil speaking tsunami victims, condemning the government for exercising emergency regulations to crush minority rights and to stop setting up of illegal Sinhala settlements in Trincomalee, sources said.

Shops of all communities were closed down, Branches of state and private banks did not operate. Schools and offices of provincial council and local authorities did not function. Markets were opened but a few went to purchase provisions. State and private buses were seen in the bus stand with low turn out of passengers.

Entire bazaar areas in the town were seen deserted.