Sinhala nationalists protest against SLMM in Trinco

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2003, 18:37 GMT]
A group of Sinhalese Tuesday held a demonstration in front of the office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Trincomalee demanding them to go out of the country. The Trincomalee Police gave protection to the SLMM office and the monitors, sources said.

The protestors went in a procession to the SLMM office is located just in front the Trincomalee harbour along Inner harbour Road. Protestors shouted slogans condemning the SLMM that they were supporting the LTTE.

Protestors carried placards and black flags, sources said. Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) was behind this protest, observers said.

Meanwhile, a general shut down called by the JVP supported group failed in Trincomalee as majority of business establishments remained open. Schools functioned. Government offices and law courts worked as usual, sources said.

However, the Government Agent did not attend to official duties in Trincomalee district secretariat. The Trincomalee District Co-ordinating Committee meeting scheduled to be held Tuesday was cancelled at the last minute when two parliamentarians representing ruling and opposition parties informed the GA that they were unable to come to Trincomalee due to general shut down, sources said.