The media club of Vavuniya held a protest on 02 demanding the police immediately halted repression of the media.
Politicians, business owners, families of missing persons too, attended the event, holding black flags, banners and placards with slogans in all three languages.
The most immediate incident they raised during the agitation was the court action taken against a journalist who had reported about the displaying of a banner and pictures on 28 November near the Vavuniya post office.
On display there were the pictures of slain public figures, including former Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi, foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, human rights activist Rajini Tiranagama and several EPDP members.
It carried a claim by ‘true leaders of the Tamil land’ and accused the LTTE over the killing of those persons.
A former LTTE member, S. Aravindan, has come to the place and asked the organizers what proof they had of the murders being committed by the LTTE.
Unable to reply, an organizer said they had done it at the instigation of the military.
He has called a person said to be a military member, to whom Aravindan said the displays should be removed, since the LTTE had not been found guilty in a court of law.
As that was being done, police arrived and arrested Aravindan, accusing him of breaching public peace.
Similarly accused and taken into custody was freelance journalist Parameswaran Karthipan, and a court case filed later.
Protestors condemned the incident and also called for justice for all slain and abducted journalists.