Curfew in Akkaraipattu amidst new tension  
[October 16, 2002  - 11.00 GMT]

A curfew has been imposed in Akkaraipattu in the eastern Ampara District this morning following clashes between Muslims and Tamils in the area. 

“The Muslim community called a hartal today to protest against the abduction of a Muslim youth from the area,” a Police official in Akkaraipattu said. 

The youth identified as Seeny Mohamed Abdul Wajeed (24) was abducted by a group of LTTE cadres yesterday while he was on the road near his residence, the Sri Lanka Army reported. The abductors had come in a white van without a number plate.

“It has later been reported that the the person abducted is a younger brother of an EPDP organizer in the Akkaraipattu area that the LTTE had been searching for,” the Peace Secretariat said. The Eelam People’s Democratic Party is a political party represented in Parliament. The EPDP, which was helping Government forces as an armed paramilitary group, was also disarmed in terms of the Ceasefire Agreement signed with the LTTE.

Following this incident, some members of the Muslim community in Addalachchenai, near Akkaraipattu, had abducted several Tamil persons. This matter had been resolved through the intervention of the Peace Committee of Akkaraipattu, which comprises members of all communities. These persons were subsequently released, the Peace Secretariat said.

“A platoon of Army personnel have also been deployed to assist the Police,” Military spokesman Brigadier Sanath Karunaratne said.

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Last Updated Date: October 16, 2002  - 11.00 GMT.