The hartal planned for Friday, 15th August, across the North and East has been postponed to Monday, 18th August, according to the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK).
According to the ITAK, the date change follows a request from the Bishop of Mannar, who noted that a special event will be held at the Madhu Church on 15th August.
Following discussions with the Vicar General of the Mannar Diocese, organizers agreed to move the protest to avoid clashing with the church event and to coincide with the Nallur Temple festival.
Tamil National Alliance General Secretary M. A. Sumanthiran and ITAK President C. V. K. Sivagnanam urged the public to support the hartal on 18th August by closing shops and offices across the region to express opposition on key issues.
The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi had previously called for a hartal on 15th August in the Northern and Eastern provinces to protest the alleged killing of a man by soldiers from the Sri Lankan Army in Oddusuddan, Mullaitivu.
At the time, the ITAK stated that the body of 32-year-old Edirmanasingam Kabilraj was found in the Muttaiyankattu Tank on 09th August, two days after he and four others were reportedly summoned to the army camp and severely beaten. (Newswire)
