CEYLON FORCES TO MOBILISE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29498, 27 April 1961, Page 15

CEYLON FORCES TO MOBILISE

Tamils’ Strike Brings Government Action (A Z, .P.AReuter— Copyright) LONDON, April 26. The Ceylon Government has ordered general mobilisation and called up to active service nine units of volunteers and reservists of Army, Navy, Air Force and Home Guards, according to Reuter. The moves came after a “lie-down” strike by Tamil workers on Ceylon’s tea and rubber estates, the news agency said.

The units were ordered to report for duty immediately. The Prime Minister (Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike) said in a broadcast to the nation today that the Government had received information that various other organisations besides the recently-banned opposition Federal Party were secretly planning to undermine it. By a proclamation last night the death penalty for looting and arson and other punishments for offences such as the breaking of bridges, obstruction to roads and damage to buses and trains were extended to the whole of the island. The Prime Minister said she had no doubt now that various organisations in different parts of the island, which had been planning secretly to overthrow the lawfully-established Government, had inspired the trouble. Thirty-four strikers had been shot by Government troops, according to reports, said the "Daily Mail.” However the paper quoted a spokesman at the Ceylon High Commissioner’s Office in London as saying: “We know of only one death. "The situation is peaceful and orderly in the areas affected by the strike. Emergency regulations have been brought into force in all estate areas.” said the spokesman. Arrests Fifty-seven Tamils had been arrested, the "Daily Mail” said. Among them was a member of the Ceylon Parliament, Mr Chelvanayagam, who leads the Tamil opposition. Another Tamil M.P., Mr Siva Sithamparam, had been beaten up. The report of the shootings had arrived in London as the Ceylon Government had imposed strict censorship on news reports, the newspaper said. No other news agency or London morning paper carried the story. The development had arisen from the struggle of the minority Tamils, who worked mainly on tea and rubber estates, to preserve

their language and culture in Workers’ Congress to press Ceylon, said the paper. for a settlement of the language issue. Language The Government had A Government statement, declared all strikes on the quoted by “The Times," said plantations illegal. British it was believed the workers United Press said. A ban had been called out on had been imposed on newsstrike by the Ceylon Demo- paper reports or photographs cratic Congress and Ceylon concerning the strike.