Point Pedro workers protest against body checks by SLA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 June 2003, 17:40 GMT]
Point Pedro harbour workers in the Vadamarachchi division in Jaffna district Saturday struck work protesting against the body check by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers bringing the unloading of cargo from two vessels anchored in the harbour to a standstill, district secretariat sources said.

As usual port workers went for work Saturday to Point Pedro harbour. Around 8.30 a.m. SLA soldiers on duty at that time ordered all port workers to assemble in the open space near the port for body checking, sources said.

Workers immediately protested to the SLA order and refused to go for work.

They said until the harassment by the SLA is stopped they would not go for work.

The two vessels anchored in Point Pedro harbour left for Kankesanthurai harbour to unload the cargo, district secretariat sources said.