Demonstrations in Velanai, Sandilipay demand Joint Mechanism
[TamilNet, Thursday, 21 April 2005, 17:02 GMT]
Large number of civilians participated in two protest marches held in
Sandilipay in Valigamam division and Velanai in Kayts Division in the
Jaffna district Thursday morning separately putting forward four demands
including the establishment of the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA)
and the Joint Mechanism to implement tsunami reconstruction and
rehabilitation programme in the northeast. Other demands were the
resettlement of displaced families due to war in their own houses and lands
and to bring to halt the killings of LTTE cadres, members of public and
journalists, sources said.
In Velanai the protest march which commenced from Thuraiyoor concluded in
front of the office of the Divisional Secretariat via Jaffna road.
Sandilipay protest march commenced from Kaddudai junction and concluded in
front of the Sandilipay Divisional Secretariat, sources said. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians Messrs M.K.Eelaventhan,
Padmini Sithamparanathan, K.Sivanesan and Mavai Senathirajah participated. Islands People Welfare Association organized the Velanai demonstration and
Sankanai Peoples' Forum organized the Sandilipay event, sources said. Memoranda addressed to the President, Head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission
(SLMM), Heads of all foreign missions in Colombo, Resident Representative
of the European Union and the Secretary General of the United Nations were
handed over to respective Divisional Secretaries by representatives of
civil groups, sources said.
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