Normalcy returns to Eastern province
By Ananth Palakidnar
[email protected]
The Chief Minister of the Eastern Province Sivanesathurai
Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan and the Health Minister of the Eastern
Province M. L. A. M. Hisbullah have pledged to work towards restoring
communal harmony in the region and prevent any untoward incident in the
future.
The Chief Minister Pillayan who was addressing a meeting at the Meera
Jummah Mosque said that it was with great difficulty that peace has been
restored with the Provincial Council administration in the Eastern
Province and the Tamils and Muslims in the region should work towards
stabilising the peaceful atmosphere.
He also pointed out that there were elements waiting for an
opportunity to stir communal backlash and the people should not get
carried away by those unscrupulous forces.
The areas of Kathankudy and Arayampathy were in a tense situation
following a shooting incident where five persons including the Tamil
Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal’s Arayampathy leader Shanthan were killed on
Wednesday.
A curfew was imposed in those areas last week following clashes
between certain Tamil and Muslim groups. The police and the security
forces were put on red alert in the trouble spots and a police curfew
was imposed.
However, Chief Minister Pillayan and Health Minister Hisbullah met
the residents of Kanthankudy and Arayampathy at the Meera Jummah Mosque
on Friday and made a fervent appeal to maintain peace in the region. |