(Lanka-e-News - 16.Oct.2017, 9.30PM) When president Maithripala Sirisena arrived to attend the Jaffna Hindu College function on the 14 th , the TNA district politicos and several other TNA representatives staged protests obstructing the motorcade of the president .The security detail had to intervene and clear the protestors before the president and his group could proceed to the venue.
It is noteworthy these protestors staged the demonstrations despite the police obtaining a restraining order from the Jaffna court. The defiant protestors demanded that the Tamil political prisoners shall be immediately released , while screaming that the president who visited Jaffna amidst the Tamil people’s protests without releasing the Tamil political prisoners shall ‘ immediately quit Jaffna.’
The president arrived in Jaffna despite the written notifications of the TNA ‘s northern district politicos against his visit.
TNA and opposition leader R. Samapanthan was driven into deep predicament and embarrassment due to the decision taken by the district politicos because it was Sampanthan M.P. who invited the president to attend the Tamil language day celebrations in Jaffna. Sampanthan left no stone unturned to avert these protests , yet it proved futile.
When the protestors were raising a huge hue and cry in front of the Hindu College , the president after the conclusion of the function went forward to meet the protestors ignoring the advice of the security division .
Even when the the northern provincial council members M.K. Sivajilingam and TNA Tamil National Front leader Gajen Kumar Ponnambalam were explaining their woes, the protestors did not stop their yelling out and aggressive conduct .
Sivajilingam asked from the president , even after 8 years have elapsed since the war was concluded the issue of the Tamil prisoners of war have not been resolved , if such a simple issue cannot be solved by you , how are you going to find solutions to more grave Tamil political issues?
Amidst tremendous resistance the president said , the Tamil prisoners’ issue shall be treated as special , and after a methodology is evolved in that connection , a decision will be taken , while adding that legal affairs cannot be resolved within a day or two , and everyone must understand that .
( The president who did not utter a word about the failure to conclude ‘legal affairs’ even after 8 years , told the UN conference when he attended it ,‘ allow me to move slowly’ )
When the president was discussing with the protestors , because they were continuing to scream and shout clustered around the president , the security divisions had to take stricter measures and act with great diligence to provide security to the president .
Even after the president left Jaffna , the demonstrators continued their protest shouting slogans for a further one hour.
Until the 15 th , there were no reports of what law enforcement action was taken against the protestors who demonstrated ignoring the court restraining order.
Translated by Jeff
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by (2017-10-16 16:29:05)
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