SLA in Jaffna disrupts mourning events for slain MP

[TamilNet, Thursday, 03 January 2008, 16:51 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers on Thursday forced shop owners in Jaffna city to keep their shops that were shut down to mourn the slain former Jaffna district parliamentarian T. Maheswaran, who was assassinated on New Year day allegedly by SLA-backed paramilitary men while he was worshiping in a Saiva temple in Colombo.

SLA troops went around the city Thursday morning around 9:30 a.m threatening and beating shop owners to open up their shops.

All the shops were opened amidst an atmosphere of confusion and confrontation.

The shops, however, shut down again after Thursday noon.

Special religious prayers were conducted in various Saiva temples in Jaffna peninsula paying homage to Maheswaran, who had offered his services to the temples and religious organizations during his tenure as the Minister of Hindu Cultural Affairs in UNP cabinet.

In Kaarainakar, the home town of Maheswaran which is now under the complete control of Sri Lanka Navy, all shops and institutions remained closed the whole of Thursday while black flags hung in front of schools and other public places.

Vehicles in the peninsula had Mahewaran's picture pasted on their windshields as an expression of grief.