Vavuniya, Trinco observe hartal, mourning day for massacred children

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 August 2006, 08:20 GMT]
General shut down and the day of mourning day was observed in the districts of Vavuniya and Trincomalee Wednesday condemning the massacre of about sixty one children in Puthukudiruppu Sencholai children home in Mullaitivu district by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), killing of seventeen workers of French NGO in Muthur by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and indiscriminate killing of Tamil civilians in the North East by the State armed forces, sources said.



Tamils of Vavuniya district observed day of mourning and hartal in response to the call made by Tamil National Brigade and in Trincomalee Tamils to the appeal by Tamil Resurgence Community, sources said.

In Vavuniya and Trincomalee business establishments of all three communities were closed. Central government and provincial council offices did not function. Branches of State and private sector banks did not operate. Post offices were closed. Law courts in the two districts did not function as lawyers and litigants did not turn up. Public markets did not function as vendors did not turn up. Bus services run by state and private sector to and from Trincomalee and Vavuniya to other parts of the country came to a halt as bus stands were seen deserted without commuters, sources said.

In Vavuniya people in villages hoisted black flags. More Sri Lankan troops were deployed in Vavuniya to enforce law and order.

In Trincomalee roads were seen deserted without civilian and traffic movement.