16:40 BST
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Pictures: Tamil Guardian |
Dozens of leading Tamil business owners and their supporters protested this morning against the increasing number of illegal businesses, set up by people from southern Sri Lanka.
Demonstrators said that business people from the south are flooding the local market with cheap goods without the necessary legal permissions, putting Tamils at an economic disadvantage.
They condemned the tacit approval of Sri Lankan military officials of these illegal economic activities, which are causing significant losses to local Tamil business owners.
The Sri Lankan military was also accused of monopolising the tourism industry in Jaffna, setting up hotels and other businesses to target incoming tourists.
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The protestors, who embarked on a symbolic fast outside Veerasingham Hall in Jaffna, expressed disappointment at the failure of Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran and other TNA MPs to attend the demonstration and show their support, adding that Mr Wigneswaran had confirmed his attendance.
“We didn’t vote for the CM [Chief Minister Wigneswaran] to attend rallies with Mano Ganesan in the south, we voted for him to address our issues here. He confirmed his attendance with the organisers, and yet failed to turn up,” a protestor told the Tamil Guardian.