Vavuniya closes up in protest

Romesh Madushanka reporting from Vavuniya

Shops and sales outlets in Vavuniya put up shutters yesterday to protest the unauthorised construction of a shopping complex by the Muslim businessmen in the area.

The unauthorised shopping complex is being built close to the Kurumankadu Muslim burial grounds in Vavuniya.

Sources from the Vavuniya Urban Council stated that the businessmen had not obtained planning approval from the Council for the construction of the shopping complex. The Muslim business community however asserted that all permission has been granted by the Council to build a shopping complex on the land specified.

However all shops in the Vavuniya District belonging to Tamil citizens were closed from yesterday morning while Muslim shops remained open for business.

Members of the Urban Council who alleged that they had been threatened by the Muslim businessmen launched a ‘fast unto death’ yesterday as a protest against the intimidation and the construction of the unauthorised building.