Published on - 3/23/2005
Air passengers bound for Jaffna, angered due to continuing LTTE orchestrated moves to extort money from them, no sooner than they land in Jaffna, have brought those acts of harassment to the attention of the Police and Security Forces authorities, seeking Police escort.
Those affected passengers, who claim that motorbike-riding LTTE men on a regular basis, posing themselves as LTTE members from its finance division, pursue them immediately after they disembark at Jaffna town in order to extort money for the goods being taken with passengers from Colombo.
Four LTTE men on two motorbikes, (NPHC 7422) and (NPJP1870), according to information given by passengers, are engaged in this practice on the instructions of LTTE hierarchy who pursue passengers in this manner and subsequently order them to pay money to the LTTE for the goods they carry with them.
Affected regular passengers as well as others in separate appeals directed to the Defence authorities in Colombo and Jaffna peninsula wanted this practice be stopped immediately since it affects their freedom of movement and hard-earned money.
Those civilians in their appeals further request Security Forces and Police to provide police escort to all air passengers from Palaly airport until their disembarkation point in Jaffna town.
