Jaffna IDP protest concluded

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 2004, 13:12 GMT]
The fast unto death protest in Chavakachcheri and Tellipalai in Jaffna were concluded Friday after assurances by Tamil National Alliance MPs and a senior official from the Prime Minister’s Office in Colombo. However, several internally displaced persons (IDPs) who took part and supported the protest fast criticized TNA MPs for intervening in the protest for political gain.

Dr. K Gunasingham, an advisor from the Prime Minister’s office spoke to Mr. Sellakili Anandarajah, the farmer who was fasting in Chavakachcheri and promised to build a new home for him.

Mr. Ananandarajah, however, objected to the suggestion saying that all the displaced families in Thenmaradchi south should be allowed to resettle in their villages and be given new houses.

TNA MPs Mr. Mavai Senathirajah, Mr. M. K Sivajilingam and Mr. N. Raviraj visited the fasting IDPs Friday.

Some IDPs supporting the fast unto death in Thellipalai and Chavakachcheri said that the MPs had interfered in their protest because of the impending elections.

A woman among the protestors in Thellipalai told Mr. Mavai Senathirajah MP he had no right to intervene in their agitation because he does not care about the predicament of Jaffna’s IDPs who are living in refugee camps.

She told him that he had rejected her appeals regarding the crumbling sanitary facilities in the refugee camp where she lives.