A student organization representing the minority Muslim community held demonstrations Monday against the government-Tamil Tiger deal for tsunami relief co-ordination.

In the Muslim dominated areas of Muttur and Kinniya in the eastern province's Trincomalee district the protests affected the day's routine for the members of the public, residents said over the telephone.

In Kinniya the shops remained closed with no public transport, schools and offices functioning. Several tyres were seen burnt along the highway

In Muttur only the shops were closed, residents said.

The protests were called by students of the Eastern University at Oluvil against the post Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) agreed between the President Chandrika Kumaratunga's government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on 24 June.

Muslims are unhappy that the community has not been given a say in the mechanism.

Although Kumaratunga held talks with her Muslim allies in the government they remain largely unhappy with the deal.

Muslim areas in the eastern province suffered wide spread destruction in the Dec. 26 tsunamis last year.

Source: Xinhua