The SLMC called for an immediate inquiry on Monday against the police officers who shot two school boys dead at a check point in Kalmunai last week. SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem said that although the situation in Kalmunai erupted in protests and a hartal by its citizens following the incident, it was brought under control after SLMC MP M. Athaulla visited the area on Saturday. But the situation aggravated on Sunday following a visit by Mrs. Ferial Ashraff’s representative, L. A. M. Hisbullah.

Protests mounted against news of the visit led Mr. Hisbullah to seek the assistance of the STF in clearing roads to Kalmunai. But this resulted in a confrontation between the people of the area, the police and the STF which resulted in mayhem.

"I lay the blame solely on Mr. Hisbullah’s intervention, he should not have gone to Kalmunai" Mr. Hakeem said, adding "people see them as traitors of the community".

The incident of shooting involving two school boys precedes an episode where a police officer was shot in Kalmunai by a member of the LTTE pistol group on July 13.

According to Mr. Hakeem, the boys were shot from behind after they had shown their identity cards to the police officers and turned their backs on them to leave the check point.

This led to a confrontation between the public, the police and the STF, mainly because after the defection of the SLMC, the government made several politically motivated transfers in the Kalmunai district, he alleged.

The SLMC on Monday also called for the removal of a new chief police officer whose transfer to Kalmunai, they alleged was politically motivated. They also alleged that several police officers have been transferred from Kalmunai on political grounds, following the SLMC’s defection from the government.

First they sent emissaries now they are trying to harass the people he said adding "they tried the carrot first that didn’t work, now they are trying the stick".

The SLMC also condemned the alleged stance earlier taken by the police in refusing to return the bodies of the two school boys to their parents until a written statement to the effect that the boys were part of the LTTE and were acting on their behest was submitted to the police.

Mr. Hakeem claimed that despite the mayhem the SLMC was able to bring the situation under control but it was aggravated by Mr. Hisbullah’s unwelcome visit, resulting in a confrontation between the STF and the people of Kalmunai in the process of clearing the roads.

He claimed that the visit was an attempt by Mrs. Ashraff and her supporters to flaunt their political authority and the government to show that they are sending their emissaries.

The SLMC does not want the police and the STF to be biased and take orders that are politically motivated.

"We will see that this situation does not continue beyond this" he said adding that SLMC MP, M. Athaulla will be sent to Kalmunai tomorrow to resolve the matter. (HJ)