POLICE DECLARES DUSK TO DAWN CURFEW, AS TWO MORE MUSLIMS FEARED KILLED BY THE ASSASSINS OF THE LTTE IN KALMUNAI
By Walter Jayawardhana reporting from Los Angeles
August 21.09.30 AM:Fearing that two of the Muslim youth believed abducted by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had been killed, Muslims in the Kalmunai area organized a fresh shut down and a hartal as a protest paralyzing daily routine life in the area.
The Police fearing further violence declared a dusk to dawn curfew from 6 p.m. to 6.am.
Muslim sources in Kalmunai said 30-year old Ibrahim Ilyas and 20 year old Thamibilebbai Marshook are believed to have been killed after they went on a trip to Ottamvady on a motor bicycle and alleged the Tamil rebel group to have committed the murders of the missing two.
The two residents of Samanthurai in Kalmunai area disappeared from last Tues day without a trace, the sources said.
A handbill distributed in the area demanded the immediate release of the youth and warned that the already strained relationship of the two communities, the Muslims and the Tamils would deteriorate further by this alleged action of the LTTE.
Before this incident, the LTTE allegedly killed five Muslim youth since the beginning of the month.
As tension spread over the area a hand grenade was lobbed in to a Roman Catholic church at Malayakadu, frequented by Tamils near Kalmunai. But it did only minor damages and hurt nobody.
Since the fresh violence, Rauff Hakeem who was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia cut short of his visit and made arrangements to return to Sri Lanka on the first available flight.
As the Hartal spread to Sainda Mardu and Malai Kattu the roads between Kalmunai and Ampara and Kalmunai and Akkaraipattu became un motor able since youth started burning tires on the roads
Police Superintendent Wasantha Ratnayaka said more Special Task Force troops would be called to maintain law and order.
As usual the LTTE area leader Bawa denied any knowledge of the crimes.
