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by P. Krishnaswamy

A protest hartal staged by the Tamil People's Forum forced Lands Minister Rajitha Senaratne to call off his visit to Trincomalee yesterday. Minister Senaratne was not available for comment, but police sources described the hartal as 'unsuccessful and said normal life very much prevailed' in the town.

However, Tamil political sources said that the town remained virtually desolate with shops and all offices closed and only skeleton transport services operating. The hartal would be staged for a second day tomorrow, the sources said.

The Minister was expected to conduct mobile services from 25th to 28th at the Trincomalee Government Secretariat, Nilaveli Tamil Maha Vidhyalayam, Senayur Madhya Maha Vidhyalayam in Muttur and Eechilampattu Senpakam Maha Vidhyalayam (close to Seruwila), the last two in LTTE-controlled areas.

The hartal though staged to coincide with the Minister's visit, was in protest of security forces' violations of the MoU, indiscriminate arrests of Tamils, non-withdrawal of troops and failure to offer an interim administration for the Northeastern province.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarians for Trincomalee, R. Sampanthan and K. Thurairatnasingham turned up at the Trincomalee Secretariat yesterday anticipating the visit of the Minister.

Around 400 people who trekked to the Secretariat to have their land problems sorted out were issued forms by the GA, to be filled and returned later.

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