Unemployed graduates commence fasting campaign in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 September 2008, 04:57 GMT]
A fast-to-death campaign organized by the Association of Graduates of Eastern Province (AGEP), the third such campaign within the past three months, commenced Thursday morning outside Batticaloa district Zonal Education office, sources in Batticaloa said.

A protest rally attended by about 300 unemployed graduates supporting the fast began at 11:00 a.m. outside the private educational organization Vipulananda at Arasadi, and reached the Zonal Education office, the President of AGEP told the media.

During a protest three months ago demanding appointments, the UPFA installed chief minister and paramilitary leader, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, intervened and assured that he would try to resolve this issue within three months, the AGEP President said.

"However, up to now no action has been taken. As a result, we have resumed the campaign in order to obtain employment for us," the AGEP president added.

Another spokesman for the graduates association said Pratheep Master, a TMVP paramilitary operative as well as a member of Batticaloa district Urban Council, paid a visit Thursday afternoon and promised that he will bring this to the attention of Pillaiyan.

A total of 600 have graduated since 2004 in Batticaloa district alone. There are 2,500 passed out graduates in the Eastern District.

After years of waiting with protests, first batch of 1,200 graduates were provided their promised appointments in the government sector in August this year.

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