Estate workers strike

[TamilNet, Monday, 20 December 1999, 13:54 GMT]
Nearly one thousand Tamil estate workers in Ragala in the hill town of Nuwara Eliya have launched a strike protesting at an attack on a Tamil Pradeshiya Sabha (Local Government) (Sabha) member allegedly by supporters of the ruling People's Alliance (PA), said sources there.

The attackers have also attempted to abduct the Sabha member. However, estate workers were able to rescue him as the abductor's vehicle broke down, the sources said.

The Sabha member, representing the main opposition United National Party (UNP), is from the St. Leonards Estate in Ragala. He has been admitted to a hospital, the sources added.

Campaign for tomorrow's presidential election has been marred by large scale violence according to the police and election monitors.