EPDP demonstrate in Jaffna against killing

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 July 2005, 14:37 GMT]
Members of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) Friday afternoon held a demonstration with the body of Mr.Suriyapillai Nixon in front of the Jaffna office of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) demanding guarantee for their security and safety, sources in Jaffna said. Mr.Nixon, a member of the EPDP was shot dead Thursday afternoon by unidentified gunmen when was on his way to distribute copies of Thinamurasu, the weekly organ of the EPDP.

Earlier EPDP members escorted by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army and Policemen brought the body of Mr.Nixon in a procession from Kailasapillaiyar Koviladi junction carrying placards to the office of the SLMM located along Nallur Temple Road, sources said.

EPDP members refused SLMM's request to remove the coffin from the site.

The SLMM officials told EPDP members that they are prepared to discuss the issue of providing security to them.

But EPDP members said that only if the SLMM guarantees their security they will remove the coffin, sources said.

EPDP members left the coffin in front of the SLMM office and gathered in the Kailasapillaiyar Kovil premises.

Meanwhile, the security to the SLMM office has been strengthened by deploying more soldiers and policemen. The road leading to SLMM office has been closed for public use and traffic during the demonstration, sources said.