Mannar workers demand war deduction back

[TamilNet, Thursday, 27 July 2000, 19:05 GMT]
The workers at the Mannar depot of the Northern Region Transport Board (NRTB) have demanded that the one day's pay that had been deducted from their June salaries for the national war fund be returned to them. They said that the one day's pay had been deducted for the national war fund of the government without their knowledge and permission.

The workers have asked the chief accountant of the NRTB in Vavuniya that the monies be returned forthwith. The accountant, however, had informed that he had deducted monies for the war fund from their salaries on orders from the 'top'.

He told the workers that he would nevertheless consider their demand.

The Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union refused to let the government deduct monies for the war fund from the salaries of their members this month. The government has called on all public servants to contribute part of their salaries for the war effort against the Liberation Tigers. Many Tamils in the public services have objected to it on the grounds that the manner in which the government is prosecuting the war is detrimental to them (the Tamils).