Tamils in Kilinochchi demanded the closure of an increasing number of liquor shops in the region last month, as the Tamil homeland continues to struggle with alcohol and illicit drug proliferation.
The participants marched from the Green Park to District Secretariat office and a petition addressed to Sri Lanka’s president was handed over by religious leaders to District Secretariat S. Muralidaran.
The protest saw participation of civil society organisations, religious leaders, trade union representatives, as well as members from rural community organisations, including a significant number of women.
According to Sri Lanka's Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC), the North-East has some of the highest rates of alcohol consumption on the whole island. The fear is that introducing more liquor outlets in such region could further exacerbate existing social problems, caused by decades of genocide and an ongoing Sri Lankan military occupation.