Tamil teachers join protest against rape

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 July 2001, 18:57 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU) has appealed to its members and Tamil school children throughout the island to boycott schools on Friday 6 July to protest against the rape of a Tamil woman by policemen at a check post in Maradana, in capital Colombo on 24 June. A coalition of ten Tamil political parties and trade unions are planning to hold a protest rally in Colombo, and a general strike in the Northeast and the hill towns of the island. The twenty thousand member strong CTTU will be one of the trade unions joining the protest.

"Students of Tamil medium schools should refrain from attending schools on Friday to register their protest against the rape of Tamil women by the security forces", said Mr. T.Mahasivam General Secretary of the CTTU in a statement issued Tuesday

Mr.Mahasivam said, "Our members and students wore black bands on their arms recently to protest against the rape of two Tamil women in the custody of the Police at Uppukulam in Mannar. Now some policemen in the capital of the country have raped a Tamil woman. This has proved that Tamil women are not safe not only in north east but also in the entire island".

A spokesman of Tamil parties said, "Our protest campaign is planned for 6 July as the motion on extension of the draconian emergency regulations will be taken up for voting in the parliament on that day".



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