Tamil councillors in East defy SL instruction to mark ‘Sri Lanka Independence’

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 February 2014, 18:12 GMT]
The occupying Sri Lankan military in Ampaa'rai instructed the Tamil councillors of the civic bodies in the district to be present on a ‘grand meeting’ they were organising to celebrate the ‘Independence Day’ of genocidal Sri Lanka, on Tuesday. Despite the SL military visiting the divisional councils under the administration of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), exerting pressure on the councillors to be present at the meeting, they boycotted the event. The mobile phones of some of the councillors were switched off as the SL military operatives were issuing intimidating phone calls, news sources in Ampaa'rai said.

The Sri Lankan Police in Batticaloa instructed the travellers on the road to carry ‘Sri Lankan’ flags on their vehicles on Tuesday. However, many shops remained closed in interior villages of Batticaloa district.

A Sri Lankan Lion Flag, which was hoisted at Puthukkudiyiruppu, was set on fire in the early hours of Tuesday. Puthukkudiyiruppu in Batticaloa is located 15 km south of the city on Batticaloa - Kiraan-ku'lam Road.

Last week, a circular was sent from Colombo's Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs to all civil institutions in the East reminding the officials to hoist the Sri Lankan National Flag and to sing ‘Sri Lankan’ national anthem.

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