
"Pongu Tamil" Programme in Vavuniya.
More than 50 000 people gathered at the Vavuniya urban council esplanade for the Pongu Tamil programme on 24th of September 2003. The crowd marched into the venue from all the five main roads in Vavuniya, holding portraits of LTTE leader Prabagaran.
In the Pongu Tamil declaration the Government of Srilanka was urged to hand over the North East Interim Administration with power over land, finance, police and law to LTTE immediately. It also called for the immediate withdrawal of the armed forces from the North East, the traditional homeland of the Tamil speaking people. The declaration also said that the LTTE should not accept any Interim Administration without the powers spelled out in the declaration.
The declaration urged the negotiation to resume on the basis of separate nation, traditional homeland and self determination and a lasting solution found. Thousands of people who took part in the programme shouted emotionally slogans such as "we want our land, army go home so that we can go to our houses" etc.
24 September 2003
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