Protest in Batticaloa against SLAF order

[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 March 2000, 12:48 GMT]
More than a thousand people picketed in front of Manmunai North Divisional Secretariat this morning around 8.30 protesting against Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) acquiring their temple, school and cemetery along with a substantial portion land adjoining its base in Batticaloa.

The SLAF ordered the immdediate closure of the local Tamil temple and school yesterday. The use of the Aalaiyadichcholai cemetery which serves the people of Batticaloa town and its suburbs was also prohibited with immediate effect. The school authorities were told to find premises elsewhere, away from the vicinity of the SLAF base.

Members of Sri Sithivinayagar Temple Society, SriVigneswara School Development Society, local Hindu organisations and students participated in today's picketing campaign.

Work at the Manmunai North Divisional Secretariat, Batticaloa Municipal Council and the Norwegian funded DERBA Project Office came to a standstill due to the picketing.

The Divisional Secretary (DS) Mr.K.Kathirgamanathan, having failed to persuade the picketing civilians to let him enter his office, informed the Government Agent that he was unable to open Divisional Secretariat due to the protest.

picket_batti_23032000.jpgOn an assurance by the DS that the matter of acquiring of land for extending the perimeter of the airbase would be taken up with higher authorities in Colombo the organizers of the picketing campaign agreed to abandon it.

The DS, however, told the people gathered in front of his office that the SLAF had informed him that it would lift its ban only temporarily.

A spokesman for the organisers of the protest who addressed the protesters and officials pointed out that Government Agent for Batticaloa and the SLAF had given a clear assurance to the people living near the base many years ago when the intention to acquire land for expansion that the temple, school and the Alaiyadichcholai cemetery would be exempted from the alienation process.

The commanding officer of the SLAF base had reiterated at the stone laying ceremony for the restoration and consecration of the temple in 1997.

The spokesman for the protesting organisations said that the people of the area had spent 20 million rupees to renovate and consecrate the Pillaiyar temple.

 

Latest 15 Reports
24.04.22 05:44  
தீவின் நெருக்கடிச் சூழலில் ஈழத்தமிழர் தேசம் கடைப்பிடிக்கவேண்டிய நிலைப்பாடுகள்
09.04.22 14:44   Photo
குறிதவறும் ஈழத்தமிழர் தலைமைகளுக்கு வரலாறு தருகின்ற எச்சரிக்கை
21.01.22 07:24   Photo
ஈழத்தமிழர் தேசத்தின் தலைமைத்துவம் தேர்தல் அரசியற் கட்சிகளுக்கு அப்பாலானது
02.11.21 15:32   Photo
13 ஆம் சட்டத்திருத்தத்தால் கட்டமைக்கப்பட்ட இன அழிப்பை எதிர்கொள்ள முடியுமா?
15.09.21 08:19  
English version not available
17.05.21 19:23   Photo
Ananthi blames war criminal Silva for blocking collective memorial at Mu'l'livaaykkaal
09.04.21 14:46  
English version not available
23.03.21 12:41   Photo
No focus on Tamil genocide, geopolitics gets played out in Geneva in favour of QUAD formation
21.03.21 13:34   Photo
Navi Pillay explains ‘human rights’ limitations in Geneva on Tamil genocide
15.03.21 20:36   Photo
Deceived Tamil activists in UK falsely claimed ‘substantial changes’ to Zero draft
09.03.21 21:34   Photo
UK repeatedly wronged Tamils says hunger-striker, demands genocide justice
26.02.21 11:53   Photo
Tamils witness false dilemma in Geneva as geopolitical formations pit against each other
19.02.21 14:02   Photo
UK not prepared to push for ICC option in new UNHRC Resolution
07.02.21 23:16   Photo
Unprecedented P2P uprising paves the way for rights-oriented politics of Tamils and Muslims
22.01.21 08:01   Photo
Gotabaya sets up deceptive COI citing ‘sovereignty’ and ‘non-aligned’ foreign policy
 
Find this article at:
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=4854