The Sri Lankan army put up road-blocks in Batticaloa to prevent people from going to Vakarai for Maaveerar Naal on Wednesday and intimidated Tamil journalists who were reporting on the commemorations.
Journalists reported that they were stopped en route to Vakarai Thuyilum Illam (LTTE cemetery) by a Sri Lankan army road-block and turned away by the troops stationed there.
The journalists took a different route but were again stopped by Sri Lankan soldiers who demanded identification from the journalists.
After rejecting the group’s government issued media accreditation ID cards, the soldiers forced the journalists to present their National ID cards, and questioned them about their journey and reason for travel.
The troops recorded the journalists’ motorcycle number plates before they were allowed to go.
The journalists noted that they were stopped by the army at a police point and that troops were manning police points throughout the area.
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