Puthur East villagers demand safety, resettlement

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 October 2005, 11:30 GMT]
Hundreds of men and women residents displaced from near Annamar Kovil Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp and others protesting the killing and injuring of civilians by the SLA soldiers on Friday marched from Nallur Temple outer perimeter to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) offices in Temple Road, Nallur at 12.30 p.m. and demanded security for them to resettle in their homes. Protesters shouted slogans against the conduct of the members of the SLMM on Friday and urged them to take action to immediately to resettle them.

The protesters submitted a memorandum to the SLMM under the name of Civilian Committee which demanded dismantling of the SLA camp in Annamar Kovil allowing them to lead their lives normally without reprisal and harassment from the SLA soldiers.

Protesters also demanded compensation for the dead and injured by SLA fire during Friday's protest.

Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarians, Mr. M.K. Eelaventhan and Mr. K. Sivanesan also participated in the protest.

Protesters said that although the SLMM was informed at around 9:00 a.m. on Friday on the on the escalating tension and villagers' protest on Friday, the members came to the scene only after 12 noon.

SLMM members responded that the injuries to protesters' happened during their presence and that protesters accusation that situation could have been avoided had SLMM responded promptly was misleading.

Protesters told the SLMM officials that the SLA is attempting to exonerate themselves by issueing false statements and that SLMM should conduct investigation to find out the truth.