ICRC officials visit Nedunthivu

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 December 2002, 18:12 GMT]
Officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Tuesday visited Nedunthivu Island in Jaffna district and met the residents who were picketing outside the Pradeshya Sabha and divisional secretariat buildings against the presence of members of para military group Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), sources said. EPDP members are staying in the office buildings of the Pradshya Sabha and divisional secretariat since they entered the island with the escort of Sri Lanka Navy and the police.

The ICRC officials discussed with residents regarding their picketing campaign which entered thirty-second day Tuesday.

Residents told the ICRC officials that they would continue their picketing until the EPDP cadres withdrew fully from the island. Residents narrated their bitter experiences they underwent when the village was under the control of the para military EPDP during the last regime, sources said.

Meanwhile a group of residents Tuesday morning threw stones at EPDP members who went to the west of the village with the escort of Police, civilian sources said. According to police sources, a push bicycle owned by EPDP is reported to be missing following the assault on EPDP members by people of the area.