Civil group calls for general shut down, demands SLA vacate Trinco town

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 January 2006, 17:36 GMT]
Trincomalee Tamil Resurgence Forum has called for a general shut down and to bring civil administration in the eastern port city to a standstill until the removal of all Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentries and checkpoints. The orgainzers is also demanding the withdrawal of Sri Lanka armed forces from Trincomalee town. In a statement released Tuesday the Resurgence Forum has condemned the killing of Tamil students on Tuesday by Sri Lankan government armed forces.

The Tamil Resurgence Forum has called for the closure of government departments, non-governmental organizations, schools, tutories, banks, markets, cinema halls and business establishments until their demands are met, sources said.

The Forum appealed to Tamil people to observe the general shut down in a peaceful way and not to resort to violence under any circumstances.

It has called all residents to curtail their movement in the town, sources said.

Meanwhile, angry residents Tuesday destroyed several sentries and checkpoints of the armed forces set up close to schools and temples in the Trincomalee town after the erection of Buddha statue.

Immediately after the killing of Tamil students, soldiers manning several sentry points withdrew by night. They have not returned to their sentry points during the day, sources from Trincomalee said.