Nov 06, Colombo: Sri Lanka government held Tamil dominated Vavuniya and Mannar towns were paralyzed yesterday due to a 'hartal' campaign conducted by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), sources from Vavuniya said.

The hartal was organized to mourn the demise of S.P. Thamilchelvan, the political leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who was killed by Sri Lanka Air Force aerial attack. TNA MPs boycotted the parliamentary meeting yesterday and several of them went to Wanni to attend the funeral.

Almost all the shops, offices, banks and schools remained closed while the transport came to a standstill. People who arrived into the town from villages for various purposes were seen stranded or returning. Black flags were hoisted in some areas.