EPDP walks out from Jaffna relief meet

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 January 2005, 16:27 GMT]
Mr.T.Mathanarajah of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), a constituent of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government walked out of the Jaffna District Task Force (DTF) meeting Wednesday evening protesting the participation of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), district secretariat sources said.

Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge had earlier appointed Mr.Mathanarajah as the secretary of the DTF.

Government Agent Mr.K.Ganesh presided the meeting, which was attended by officials of the Sri Lanka Army based in Palaly, police and several representatives of the government departments.

Mr.Vijitharan, Jaffna district head of the Thamileelam Administrative Service, Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians Mr.M.K.Sivajilingam and Mr.M.K. Eelaventhan also participated in the meeting.

Mr.Mathanarajah requested the chairman that LTTE representatives should not be allowed to attend the meeting.

TNA parliamentarians opposed the EPDP request as inappropriate at a time when Ms Kumaratunge has been taking forward the rehabilitation and relief activities with the support of the LTTE, sources said.

TNA parliamentarians and EPDP representative continued to argue and subsequently Mr Mathanarajah walked out of the meeting. Thereafter the meeting continued and participants took several decisions in regard to the rehabilitation and relief activities of tsunami victims, sources said.