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LTTE groups mark truce day with hartals
Life in the Northern and Eastern provinces was crippled yesterday as Tamil rebels staged protest campaigns in various parts of the two provinces, claiming that they were not satisfied with the progress of the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

LTTE front groups organised the protest campaigns, calling on the public to put up black flags, and keep the shops closed while transport came to a standstill in the eastern Ampara and Batticaloa districts.

The protest campaigns were launched on the grounds that the ceasefire agreement had not been sufficiently implemented during the past one year while the government had failed to keep its promises given during the peace talks.

Pro-LTTE groups in leaflets distributed said that they had called for the protest as they were not satisfied with the progress of resettlement of displaced persons, assisting war victims, failure to carry out proper rehabilitation programmes and about the implementation of the other clauses in the agreement.

The Batticaloa town was deserted with the protest campaign. On the eve of the first anniversary, LTTE political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan told journalists in Kilinochchi that "our people are not in a position to celebrate the first anniversary of the agreement as it has not been implemented. Specially we are not satisfied with the resettlement as many still live in welfare centres where conditions have not improved," he said.

The Trincomalee district was spared from yesterday's protest campaign. But earlier in the week a similar protest was held. Pro-LTTE groups got school children involved in a protest campaign against what they called harassment by the security forces. Pro-LTTE groups were observed organising the campaign and distributing black bands for the protest campaigns.

Life in the Northern and Eastern provinces has been crippled at regular intervals during the past week due to protest campaigns over a variety of issues including the incident where rebels clashed with the military after the army prevented LTTE cadres entering government-controlled areas with waist belts which is part of their military uniform.

In marked contrast in the rest of the country, ceremonies were being held to mark the first anniversary of the peace process. The main function was held at the Independence Square yesterday. Schools were told to organise their own ceremonies on Friday.

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