Jaffna Civil groups call for Independence Day boycott

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 February 2005, 21:48 GMT]
Jaffna District Civil Groups Forum (JDCGF) Wednesday called upon the residents of Jaffna district to observe February 4 as a day of mourning. The 57th Independence Day of Sri Lanka falls on February 4.

Tamil people have been living in Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, for the 57 years since independence as slaves under successive Sinhala chauvinist governments. Tamil people should boycott Independence Day celebrations till they achieve political independence similar to that being enjoyed by the majority community, said the DCGF in a statement issued Wednesday.

People have been asked to hoist black flags in their houses, business establishments and working places to express their protest to the chauvinist policies of United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government.

Meanwhile, the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has decided to celebrate the Independence Day in a low key without the usual entertainment events as a mark of respect to the dead in the December tsunami disaster.