report in Daily FT, Apr 25, 2023
A hartal protest campaign organised by seven Tamil political parties led by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will be launched in the North and Eastern provinces today. According to TNA MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, the hartal will demand solutions to several issues faced by the people of the two districts and also protest against the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act.
The political parties have announced that the Government sector will also join in the protest campaign and will therefore likely disrupt public services in the districts. All shops will be closed the entire day and public transport services are also expected to come to a halt.
The hartal is being organised by the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi, Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation, People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam, Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front and several others.
Among the demands, the organisers are requesting the Government to cease going ahead with the proposed Anti-terror legislation, stop the land acquisitions in the North and East, stop taking over Hindu religious sites and halt setting up of Sinhalese villages in the districts.
The Tamil political parties will also express their opposition to the proposed Anti-Terror Act when it is presented in Parliament today.
https://www.ft.lk/news/Hartal-to-bring-North-and-East-to-standstill-today/56-747672
