Black band protest held in Jaffna condemning Manipay attack

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 February 2003, 16:24 GMT]
Teachers, students, public and private sector employees in Jaffna district Wednesday attended their routine activities wearing black bands and black waist belts in protest to the attack by the Sri Lanka Army on women cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam at Manipay on February 12, sources said.

On February 12 the soldiers of the SLA supported by members of the para military Eelam Peoples Democratic Party attacked the women cadres of the LTTE and forcibly removed their waist belts when they were engaged in political activities under the ceasefire agreement. In the attack eight LTTE women cadres and several civilians and journalists were injured, sources said.

In response to a call by the Federation of Jaffna District Public Organizations black flags were hoisted in business establishments, co-operative organizations and vehicles Wednesday, sources said.