2ND LEAD

Eastern Muslims protest against PAFFREL Chairman

[TamilNet, Saturday, 22 April 2006, 01:37 GMT]
Several hundred Muslims Friday held demonstrations in Kalmunaikudi, Maruthamunai, Sammanthurai and Ninthavur in the Amparai district after Jumma prayers against Mr. Kingsley Rodrigo, Chairman of the People Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) for making a statement that armed groups are functioning in the Muslim community. PAFFREL Director Rodrigo had not withdrawn the statement yet but has only expressed his regret if the statement had hurt the feelings of the Muslim community, organisors said.

The protest demonstration against Rodrigo for his revelation of Muslim armed group was staged in front of Kalmunaikudy Jumma Mosque, Friday around 1.30 p.m, in which more than a thousand Muslims participated.

The protestors demanded the government to conduct an investigation into the activities of the PAFFREL and also to prohibit the PAFFREL from monitoring the elections in future as it has lost its "impartiality." The demonstrants said the statement was interpreted as an statement against the Muslim community.

In the demonstration which lasted for nearly an hour, slogans such as, 'Down with Rodrigo, the traitor of Muslims', 'Can you prove that there are Muslim Armed groups?', were raised along with placards depicting these slogans.

PAFFREL is the leading election monitoring organization in the country.

The demonstrators deny the existence of Muslim armed group.