4TH LEAD (Adds names)

STF shoots Muslim protestors in Ullai, 14 wounded

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 September 2006, 05:39 GMT]
Fourteen Muslim protestors were wounded when Sri Lankan counter-insurgency Special Task Force (STF) troopers opened fire on Muslim protestors who turned violent as the STF personnel started attacking the Muslim shop owners to open the shops, disregarding the shut-down protest. 4 protestors, with serious injuries, were rushed to Kalmunai hospital. 10 protestors were admitted at Pottuvil hospital. STF has clamped down a curfew in Pottuvil and suburbs till further notice. Sinhalese civilians were seen fleeing Pottuvil area in boats towards Paanama in the south.

The STF men forced the protestors to open the shops disregarding the shut-down that demanded the Sri Lankan authorities to remove the STF camp or replace the entire STF unit from the Sasthiraveli camp, located near Rattal Kulam area where 10 Muslims were found massacred Monday morning.

Four of the wounded, Ahmed Lebbai Noordeen, 34, Mohideen Pichchai Lateef, 45, M. I. Seeni Mohammed, 29, and Jauffer, 35, were seriously wounded and admitted to Kalmunai Hospital.

M. I. Gafordeen, 23, A. Majeed, 28, R. Haneef, 19, M. Kaseem, 33, A. K. Mohaideen Baba, 64, Mohammed Lebbai, 35, Razeek, 19, and Subair, 25, were admitted at Pottuvil Hospital.

Normalcy had returned Wednesday morning in most of the Muslim areas in Amparai district, except Pottuvil and suburbs where tension prevailed.

Tamil areas in Amparai district, Alayadivembu in Akkaraipattu, Thirukkovil, and Thambiluvil observed shut-down protest Wednesday against the massacre of Muslim civilians. Black flags were flown by the Tamil protestors in Amparai district.