Courts closed by letters

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 13 October 1998, 17:38 GMT]
Courts in Jaffna closed today after receiving letters said to be from the "Tamil Eelam Administrative Service" signed by Thooyavan, the political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers in the peninsula, said legal sources.

The letters, according to the sources, were addressed to the magistrate of the Mallakam courts Mr.M.Thirunavukkarasu and the additional magistrate of Jaffna and magistrate of Chavakachcheri, Mr. S.A.E Ekanathan.

Courts in Jaffna ceased to function earlier this year following notes reportedly from the LTTE. The magistrates have been hearing cases in chambers since then.

The Assistant Commissioner of Local Government for Jaffna, Mr.S. Krishnasamy is also reported to have received a letter from Thooyavan asking him to cease his department's activities.

Sources said several departments of the Jaffna District Secretariat (Kachcheri) have received such letters also.

A senior government official in Jaffna, however, denied that all departments have got the notes from the Tigers.

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