CTTU demands withdrawal of SLA troops from Trinco town

[TamilNet, Saturday, 07 January 2006, 14:57 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU) has requested Sri Lanka's President Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse to order an impartial inquiry into the execution-style killing of Tamil students in Trincomalee, and to the bring the culprits responsible for the crime before the Court of Law. The CTTU also urged the President to withdraw State armed forces deployed within the fifty meter zone of schools, hospitals, places of worships and public places in the Trincomalee town immediately and areas where civilians live in large numbers, CTTU sources said.

"We make these demands to prevent similar crimes in future, to create a healthy atmosphere for learning and teaching and also to allow freedom of movement of the people to lead peaceful life and enjoy democracy," said Mr.T.Mahasivam in a memorandum sent to the President with copy to Mr.Susil Premajayanth, Education Minister.

CTTU has also requested the Education International (EI), an international teachers' organization, to exert pressure on the Government of Sri Lanka to order its troops not to kill innocent students and also to issue a statement condemning the massacre of five Tamil students in Trincomalee on January by members of State armed forces, sources said.

CTTU has forwarded copies of a memorandum sent to the SL President and his Education Minister in this regard to Mr. Fred Vanleeuwen, Secretary General of the EI and Mr.Alloysius Mathews, Chief Co-ordinator of the EI Asia Pacific Region, sources said.