Sinhalese street vendors invade Jaffna town

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 March 2010, 05:44 GMT]
The shops in Jaffna town shutting down before evening 6:00 p.m by its owners due to their bitter experiences during the war and the people of Jaffna peninsula remaining indoors in the night has become habitual until now when Sinhalese traders from the South have turned Jaffna town into night time street markets. This night trading has suddenly cropped up to cater to the needs of thousands of Sinhalese tourists pouring into Jaffna after the opening of A9 road to Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said. Meanwhile, Jaffna Traders Association blamed Jaffna Municipality administration for turning a blind eye to this unlawful enterprise.

Around three hundred thousand Sinhalese tourists are said to have visited Jaffna after the opening of A9 road and their prime places of interest are the Naaka Vikaarai in Nainaatheevu and the Aariyaku’lam Buddhist temple in Jaffna town.

The Sinhalese street vendors stay and sleep on the streets in Jaffna town and continue their business unchecked by the municipal authorities.

The people of Jaffna, however, choose to lock themselves indoors once night sets in, the sources added.