They alleged that the authorities, including the President, Prime Minister, SLMM and the Police had betrayed them and neglected the North and East Sinhalese by turning a deaf ear to their appeals.
"We, as an organisation to protect the North and East Sinhalese will join the family members of the abducted home guards in today's fast. We are determined to strengthen our action to a fast unto death if necessary, till they hand over the two home guards to us", the organisation's co-ordinating secretary Sunil Alutgamage told the Daily Mirror.
They launched a hartal on September 2, crippling day-to-day activities in Trincomalee to protest against the continuous LTTE violence. A group of 20 protesters entered the Trincomalee SLMM regional office and staged a protest, holding aloft placards denouncing the monitors.
Mr. Alutgamage also threatened that if the authorities neglected the issue they would launch a fast-unto-death campaign.
He said on the day they stormed the SLMM's Trincomalee office, they were requested to leave the place following an assurance by Trincomalee SSP Upali Hewage, SSP Daya Samarajeewa, the SLMM, the LTTE's Trinco district leader Elilan and other representatives that the two home guards would be released.
"We feel that there is no use in trusting the Police officers further as they have betrayed us. It is ten days since the assurance and more than a month since the abduction. We are not ready to tolerate this negligence of the Sinhalese here. Therefore decided on tougher action. We also request all local and internationally-based patriotic organisations to support us", Mr. Alutgamage said.
The LTTE abducted the two home guards on August 10 along with another five civilians at Neelakandiya in the Gomarankadawale area and the Organisation held a protest demanding SLMM mediation.
(http://www.dailymirror.lk/2004/09/14/news/4.asp)
