Stand against LTTE threats

Northern Commander tells legal fraternity

by our Jaffna correspondent

The Commander of the Security Forces in Jaffna Major General G. A. Chandrasiri has called upon the legal fraternity in Jaffna to stand against the threats posed by the LTTE in implementing civil administration in the Peninsula.

He was addressing a delegation of forty senior Attorneys-at-law from Jaffna, Chavakachcheri, Point Pedro, Kayts and Mallakam at the Palaly Army Headquarters on Friday. The Attorneys-at-law from the court houses of the Peninsula were led by the Head of the Jaffna Bar Association Miss Shantha Abimanyu PC. The delegation of Northern lawyers said that they had been threatened in the recent past and huge amounts of money were demanded.

They also said that not only the lawyers but also other professionals such as doctors, academics and various businessmen have also been threatened by unidentified men over the telephone.

The Jaffna lawyers who were boycotting the court houses for the past five days protesting against the threats faced by them also urged the Jaffna Commander to ensure their security and track down the culprits who were all out to disrupt law and order in the Peninsula.

Major General Chandrasiri assured the Northern legal fraternity that he would do his best to provide them adequate protection.

He told senior lawyers that the LTTE which got a severe beating in the East was now making desperate attempts to destabilise civil administration in the Peninsula. "The Jaffna Civil Society, particularly the legal fraternity should stand firmly against the LTTE to ensure that law and order in the North does not collapse.