ITAK says today's hartal success despite normalcy reported in several regions

 

Empty vegetable market in Chavakachcheri. Pix: Northeastern Monitor

Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) claimed success in today's hartal campaign against ongoing millitarization in North and Eastern provinces despite several regions including Jaffna town were not affected by it.

Normalcy was observed in Vavuniya town, Jaffna town and regional towns where local transport services continued undisrupted and schools and banks operated as usual. In Mullathivu, where the death of an individual occured after he entered into an army camp in Muththaiyaankaddu, the hartal campaign was observed. 

Both in Vavuniya and Jaffna, the regional chamber of commerce unions announced earlier that they will not extend support to hartal campaign. 

General Secretaray of ITAK M.A. Sumanthiran told reporters that the token hartal was success except in selected areas- including Jaffna. "We want to send a message to government and international community through this. Therefore, it is successful since relevant authorities responded to it. We are against anyform of normalization of militarization in the two provinces and we will continue to protest againt it," he said. (Northeastern Monitor/ August 18/2025)