Tamils returning from Vavuniya conference stopped and harassed by SLA at Omanthai checkpoint
The Sri Lankan Army (SLA) threw tear gas into a crowd of Tamil civilians who were stopped at the Omanthai checkpoint, returning from the Tamil National Resurgence Conference on October 27.The SLA refused to allow the civilians pass through the checkpoint and claimed that the passage through the checkpoint is closed.
The SLA originally agreed to keep the A9 road open until 8:00 p.m., but stopped all travel at 6:00 p.m. As a result, many participants of the conference were forced to stay overnight in Vavuniya. The checkpoint was re-opened this morning at 10:30 a.m. SLA soldiers and police were stationed in the town of the conference and civilians were subjected to severe checking, residents said. It was later reported that three students who also participated in the event were arrested by the SLA.
Following this incident, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) from Vanni met with officials from the Sri Lankan Government to discuss the confrontation between the SLA and civilians. The conference was held to promote the Vavuniya Proclamation. Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians, academics, religious leaders and social activists attended the event which also aimed to gain recognition from the international community, conveying their plea for the removal of SLA presence on the Northeast.
28 October 2005
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Europe which has a total population of 800 million is made up of 45 language based nation states. South Asia which has a total population of one billion, (1000 million) is comprised of four states. Who is preventing and therefore benefiting by limiting new nation-states in South Asia?
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