SLA opens road following protest

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 August 2002, 14:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army opened the main road through Morakkoddanchenai, 26 kilometres north of Batticaloa, after twelve years following a sit in protest by villagers Monday. The protesting crowds surged ahead through soldiers when the SLA commander for Batticaloa, Lt. Col. V. R. L Anthoniz agreed to open an inner road as well.

The Batticaloa Valaichenai highway was blocked by SLA camps straddling the road at Mylambaveli, Kommathurai, Morakkoddanchenai and Valaichenai. Traffic was diverted through detours, which were bumpy, potholed dirt tracks until recently.

Morakkoddancheni road openedThe people of Morakoddanchenai began a protest following the Memorandum of Understanding between the Liberation Tigers and the Sri Lankan government, demanding that the SLA should vacate the village school, public building and homes it has been occupying since 1990.

The SLA continues to occupy the village centre in Kommathurai and Valaichenai Junction, despite protests.

The sit in protest in Morakkoddanchenai began early in the morning around 6 a.m. Hundreds people blocked the main road ahead of the SLA camp in the village centre. The SLA's 23 Division Commander, Sunil Tennekoon, asked the villagers to call off the protest as the military had had discussions with the LTTE Sunday night and had reached an agreement to open the main road through the camp.

The protestors declined to disperse, demanding that the Station Road that leads up to Devapuram, an adjacent settlement, should also be opened. Soldiers told the villagers that they cannot open the road to the public but would consider allowing school children through.

The protestors refused to accept the army's position and continued the protest.

Later, the SLA's 23-3 Brigade commander, Lt. Col. Anthoniz and Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham, Tamil National Alliance MP for Batticaloa, came to Morakoddanchenai and spoke to the protestors.

Around 10.30 a.m. when the villagers surged through the army barrier across Station Road along with the school children who were allowed to go. However, Lt. Col. Anthoniz said that only the people of Devapuram would be permitted to use the Station Road.

Morakkoddanchenai road opened

 

Latest 15 Reports
24.04.22 05:44  
தீவின் நெருக்கடிச் சூழலில் ஈழத்தமிழர் தேசம் கடைப்பிடிக்கவேண்டிய நிலைப்பாடுகள்
09.04.22 14:44   Photo
குறிதவறும் ஈழத்தமிழர் தலைமைகளுக்கு வரலாறு தருகின்ற எச்சரிக்கை
21.01.22 07:24   Photo
ஈழத்தமிழர் தேசத்தின் தலைமைத்துவம் தேர்தல் அரசியற் கட்சிகளுக்கு அப்பாலானது
02.11.21 15:32   Photo
13 ஆம் சட்டத்திருத்தத்தால் கட்டமைக்கப்பட்ட இன அழிப்பை எதிர்கொள்ள முடியுமா?
15.09.21 08:19  
English version not available
17.05.21 19:23   Photo
Ananthi blames war criminal Silva for blocking collective memorial at Mu'l'livaaykkaal
09.04.21 14:46  
English version not available
23.03.21 12:41   Photo
No focus on Tamil genocide, geopolitics gets played out in Geneva in favour of QUAD formation
21.03.21 13:34   Photo
Navi Pillay explains ‘human rights’ limitations in Geneva on Tamil genocide
15.03.21 20:36   Photo
Deceived Tamil activists in UK falsely claimed ‘substantial changes’ to Zero draft
09.03.21 21:34   Photo
UK repeatedly wronged Tamils says hunger-striker, demands genocide justice
26.02.21 11:53   Photo
Tamils witness false dilemma in Geneva as geopolitical formations pit against each other
19.02.21 14:02   Photo
UK not prepared to push for ICC option in new UNHRC Resolution
07.02.21 23:16   Photo
Unprecedented P2P uprising paves the way for rights-oriented politics of Tamils and Muslims
22.01.21 08:01   Photo
Gotabaya sets up deceptive COI citing ‘sovereignty’ and ‘non-aligned’ foreign policy
 
Find this article at:
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=7272