SLA holds leader of protestors under house arrest in Karaichchi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 November 2010, 10:33 GMT]
More than ten Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers arriving Thursday around 11:00 a.m at the house of the President of Oottuppulam Rural Development Society (RDS), who led the protest demonstration Wednesday demanding the cancellation of the sudden transfer of Karaichchi Divisional Secretary on the instructions of SLA authorities, continue to hold him under house arrest surrounding his house, sources in Ki’linochchi said. The president who is held under house arrest was to lead a hunger strike in front of Ki’linochchi Government Agent’s office Thursday along with nine other RDS presidents and a large number of civilians until the transfer order issued to the Divisional Secretary was cancelled.

Meanwhile, SLA officials in Ira’naimadu base had summoned Thursday morning the Presidents of nine RDSs in Karaichchi Division who were to join in the hunger strike and threatened them not to participate in any kind of demonstration warning that the failure to comply would lead to drastic consequences to them, the sources said.

The RDS President held under house arrest by SLA is Cinnaiah, 68.

Two men suspected to be SLA soldiers forcibly entering Cinnaiah’s house Wednesday night had attacked the occupants, the sources further said.

Ms. Sivakumar had instructed SLA to vacate the lands of the local people which the SLA authorities had claimed as government property. The said lands had been issued to their owners by the government in 1994 and the owners have the documents to establish their ownership.

The SLA officials angered by the action of the Divisional Secretary had had her transferred out within two hours after she instructed the SLA to vacate the said lands.

Welfare associations and public organizations in Karaichchi in Ki’linochchi district had gathered in protest Wednesday morning in front of Ki’linochchi Government Agent’s office demanding immediate cancellation of the sudden transfer of Karaichchi Divisional Secretary, Ms. Sivakumar, issued on the instructions of local SLA officials.

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