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Land grab protesters met with SL riot police in Tellipalai

Photograph Uthayan

Hundreds of Tamil protesters were met with riot police and Sri Lankan security forces, at today's demonstration in Tellipalai against the Sri Lankan Army's seizing of private land in Valikaamam North in Jaffna. (See here for report in Tamil by Uthayan).

After staging a sit down protest in front of Tellipalai Divisional Secretariat, tensions rose as protesters breached police barricades and began to march towards the entrance of the High Security Zone, and attempted to enter the Divisional Secretariat building in order to make their pleas for the military to leave their land.

Dozens of riot police and security forces immediately stepped in to kettle back the protesters within the barricades.

Yesterday, TNPF president Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam reported that the Sri Lankan military visited IDP camps housing Valikaamam North residents warning them not to attend today's the protest.

Today, TNA MP Suresh Premachandran was told by police stating there would be arrests if protesters decided to march down KKS road, reports the Uthayan.

See also:

526 acres of land grab announced (28 April 2013)

Tamils protest as land grabs continue unabated  (24 April 2013)

Tamils in Mullaitheevu protest against land grab (11 April 2013)

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