Vadamaradchy schools boycott enters fifth day

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 January 2007, 01:12 GMT]
The boycott of classes by more than 12000 students in Vadamaradchy demanding immediate release of two students from Point Pedro Hartley College and Velayutham Maha Vidyalaym abducted recently entered fifth day Friday, student leaders in Point Pedro said.

Prakalathan, a student at the GCE Advanced Level class in Hartley College, and Jeyan, a student of Velayutham Maha Vidyalaym were recently abducted by unknown men.

The Vadamaradchy Tamil Students union in a communiqué issued to the media on Monday warned that if students are not released before Friday, boycott will spread to all schools in Jaffna district, and they will seek support from government departments across Jaffna peninsula to join the protest.

Student leaders said that the abducted students have not been involved in any illegal activities.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) stationed in the area has been exerting pressure to discontinue the boycott, without providing assurances on the release of the abducted students.

A large number of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops have been stationed in the vicinity of the schools.

The principals and teachers of the schools in the area are reporting for duty daily, and with students abstaining, leave the schools early in the afternoon sources said.

SLA soldiers and collaborating paramilitaries in the Peninsula have abducted a number of undergraduates and high school students in the last several months. The recent escalation in number of abductions of civilians in Jaffna has once again created a sense of fear and helplessness among the residents.

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