Vanni protest fast continues

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 October 1998, 12:32 GMT]
A large number of people are continuing their protest fast in front of the Mullaitivu Government Agent's office and other government offices in the Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts said aid workers and officials today.

The protest, which is in its 34th day, is against the Sri Lankan government's denial of rations to the majority of displaced people in the Vanni region, which includes the Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts along with .

The demonstrators say the Sri Lankan government "is using starvation as a weapon in its war against Tamil people".

Earlier this year the government drastically cut the amount of relief allowed into the Vanni region. Aid workers say that the existing restrictions on taking food into the Vanni were tightened further, placing the populace at risk of starvation.

The Member of Parliament, D. Siddarthan, whose constituency falls within the Vanni, says that over 400,000 Tamil residents in the area are affected.

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