A large-scale harthal movement is slated to be carried out jointly in Northern and Eastern provinces on Thursday (April 27).

The Satyagraha being staged in Kilinochchi over missing persons entered the 65th day today (25) while the Satyagraha demanding a solution to the land issue in Pannankandi, Kilinochchi continues for the 35th day today. 

A Satyagraha demanding the repealing of the gazette notification issued regarding the Wilpattu reserve has continuing for the past several days while the Satyagraha over missing persons in Vavuniya entered day 61 today. 

In addition to this the protest movement launched by unemployed undergraduates in the Eastern Province is continuing for the 63rd day in Batticaloa.

A massive harthal, based on the collective of these issues, has been planned covering both the Northern and Eastern provinces on April 27 while the Tamil People’s Forum (TPF), Tamil national Alliance (TNA) and the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) are expected to participate. 

Although it has been reported that the harthal is being organized by the Tamil People’s Forum led by Northern Province chief minister C.V. Wigneswaran, speaking to Ada Derana one of the founders of the Forum, Suresh Premachandran said that they are only supporting the movement and that they are not organizing it. 

ACMC leader Minister Rishad Bathiudeen told Ada Derana that his party has also decided to support the harthal movement and that they would give their support without any hesitation as there are many issues which can be agreed on. He claims that the harthal is being organized by the TNA.

However, TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran said that the harthal planned for April 27 is not being organized by the party although they will support it.