Sinhala civilian slain, Tamils threatened in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 January 2007, 07:42 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army troopers and police personnel Thursday morning threatened Tamil civilians at Mathavadikulam, a suburb located 3 km south of Vavuniya town, after a gang shot and killed a Sinhala civilian Wednesday night. The SLA soldiers warned Tamil residents that they would be chased away from the area, residents complained. The killing follows the slaying of 6 Tamil civilians Tuesday night in Vavuniya. Tension prevails in Mathavadikulam and Moonrumurippu.

The dead body of the civilian victim, P.M. Nissanka, was recovered by the Police and handed over to Vavuniya hospital.

Tamil National Alliance MP Sivanandan Kishore, Vavuniya District Secretary (GA) S. Shanmugam and Vavuniya Police DIG Siriwardene met the SLA Vanni Commander Major General WUB Edirisinghe Thursday morning and discussed the deteriorating situation with increasing killings and abductions in Vavuniya district.

The TNA parliamentarians Vino Nogarathalingam, Sivasakthi Anandan and Sivanandan Kishore voiced concerns also over increased harassment by the troopers and the police in Vavuniya when they met Vavuniya Police DIG Siriwardene and SSP Gunawardene Wednesday evening.