ITAK Led Hartal Met With Public Resistance

COLOMBO(News 1st); The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi-led hartal campaign, declared today across the Northern and Eastern provinces, was met with public resistance in several locations.

During a visit to Vavuniya town, ITAK General Secretary M.A. Sumanthiran was confronted by local residents and representatives of business associations, who expressed their displeasure, stating that intimidation cannot be used to stage public protests.

The hartal was reportedly organized in response to the death of a civilian on the 9th of August during an alleged attempted theft at an army camp in the Muththiyankattu area of Oddusuddan, Mullaitivu.

Citing the incident, the ITAK claimed that certain military camps in the Northern and Eastern provinces are disrupting civilian life and called for their removal.

When M.A. Sumanthiran arrived at the old bus stand in Vavuniya this morning and spoke to the media, the shops behind him remained open.

President's Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran, General Secretary of ITAK, said at 9:35 a.m. that behind him was the old bus stand in Vavuniya. He noted that while many shops had closed voluntarily in support of the hartal, some had reopened under pressure. He added that the Vavuniya Public Market and Bazaar Road were completely closed, with significant participation from the Muslim community. He also stated that the hartal had received widespread support across other cities in the Northern and Eastern provinces, and in Jaffna, Vavuniya, and particularly Mullaittivu, not only were shops closed, but transport services had come to a complete halt.

However, K. Krishnamurthy the chairman of the Vavuniya Traders' Association stressed that it is not possible to force shops to close by threatening them.

K. Krishnamurthy, Chairman of the Vavuniya Traders' Association, said that it is their right to keep shops open and that they are not opposing the hartal. However, he added that all parties should come together instead of acting alone for political gain. He emphasized that they would not accept individual decisions to close shops without considering the views of traders.

Most shops in Vavuniya town were open today, and daily activities in the town continued without any disruption. Daily activities in Jaffna town also went on as usual.

Shops in the city remained open as usual, and schools continued their regular operations. The University of Jaffna also conducted its activities as usual today.

Our News 1st correspondents reported that most shops in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu towns remained closed.

In Kilinochchi town, shops began reopening by mid-day.

Some shops in Trincomalee, in the Eastern Province, remained closed for several hours this morning and reopened after 12 noon.

A group, including National People’s Power MP K. Prabhu, had filed a complaint with the police, alleging that Batticaloa Mayor S. Pakkiyanathan of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi had forced shops in the city to close.

S. Pakkiyanathan, Mayor of Batticaloa, said that the police had contacted him regarding a complaint filed against him. He added that when he arrived at his office from home, he noticed several shops were open. He personally went to check the situation and clarified that he did not threaten anyone to close their shops.

K. Prabhu, MP of the NPP, said that traders had informed them that the Mayor instructed them to close their shops, allegedly using threatening and coercive tactics. He added that those who refused to comply were warned that their business licenses could be revoked and that state-owned vehicles were used to issue these threats. In response, he said a formal complaint had been lodged with the police regarding this conduct. He expressed deep regret and concern over the situation and stated that, regarding the Mullaitivu incident, legal action had already been taken in accordance with the law.

In Chenkalady town, daily activities continued without disruption.

In the Ampara District, a few shops were observed closed in Aaliyadivembu and Kartivu, but in other areas, routine life and business operations proceeded as usual.

The hartal was called in response to an incident that occurred near Muththiyankattu – Shivanagar, where members of the Sri Lanka Army’s 12th Sinha Regiment reportedly took action to remove a group that had allegedly entered the camp premises without authorization.

During this incident, a man who fled the scene was later found dead in a nearby body of water on the 9th of August. Relatives of the deceased have accused army personnel of being responsible for the death.

As part of ongoing investigations, three soldiers on duty at the camp at the time have been taken into custody, and a full inquiry is underway.

The ITAK announced today’s hartal in the backdrop of these developments.

Arun Hemachandra, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, said that there is a proper process to resolve any disputes, and matters cannot be addressed by bypassing this process through hartals and shop closures. He added that the country has established laws and that the government has intervened in this matter. He noted that many groups continue to cause disruptions and are usually opposed to any form of resolution. He expressed satisfaction that the public is on the government’s side, evident from the failed attempt to launch a hartal despite its announcement.