General shutdown paralyzes Kalmunai, Sammanthurai

[TamilNet, Monday, 18 August 2003, 18:01 GMT]
The towns of Kalmunai and Sammanthurai in the Amparai district were completely paralyzed Monday when residents and businessmen observed a general shut down (hartal) protesting against the killing of two Muslim civilians at Sammanthurai Sunday night, police said.

Shops were closed down, government offices did not function and students did not attend classes as a mark of protest against killings of civilians. Some incidents such as throwing stones at buses plying were reported, police said.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader and Minister, Mr.Rauff Hakeem, accompanied by Ampara district SLMC parliamentarians Mr.Anwer Ismail and Mr.H.M.Harris, participated at a conference held at the Sammanthurai Police Station. Mr. Hakeem instructed the police to provide maximum security to Muslims of the area and to take immediate action to arrest the culprits behind the killings, media sources said.

The Minister has postponed his meeting with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, scheduled to be held Monday regarding the Muttur violence because of the Sammanthurai crisis where two more Muslim youths were shot dead Sunday night, media sources said.

Mr. Hakeem is scheduled to meet Mr. Wickremasinghe on Tuesday, Colombo sources said.

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