EPDP protests Batticaloa killing of its member

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 August 2003, 10:27 GMT]
The Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP)'s members Friday held a demonstration in Batticaloa town against the killing of their member Mr. Arasaretnam Ratheeskaran on Thursday afternoon. The protest campaign was called off Friday night around 9 p.m and the coffin with Ratheeskaran's body was removed from the premises of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission's (SLMM's) Batticaloa office, police said.

EPDP members Friday afternoon took the body of the slain member in a procession from the residence of Arasaretnam Ratheeskaran. They shouted slogans and carried banners condemning political killings.

EPDP Batticaloa deputy organizer Mr P.Pratheepan, PLOTE organiser Rathan and EPRLF (Varathar wing) activists Mathan and Baskaran led the procession. After keeping the coffin at the Clock Tower Square for about twenty minutes and shouting slogans, they carried the coffin to the office of the SLMM in Batticaloa, sources said.

The SLMM's Batticaloa delegate viewed the body of Ratheeskaran, at the request of the EPDP members.

The female member of the SLMM in Batticaloa expressed her sympathy to the family and relatives of the deceased and party members. She told protestors that she would be informing her superiors about the incident, sources said

EPDP blamed the LTTE for the killing of its member Ratheeskaran. But the LTTE denied any involvement in the killing, sources said.