On the occasion of Velupilla Prabhakaran’s birthday yesterday (27) pro-LTTE politicians, priests, former LTTE members, and non-governmental organisation activists organised a large number of commemorative events across the North East region to honour the war dead, the intelligence services informed the government.
According to reports, this is the first time since the conflict that the deceased have been memorialized in such an organized fashion.
The special feature is that almost all these ceremonies have started at 6.05 pm.
Intelligence agencies have also reported that there is no problem with the normal celebrations organized in houses and villages, but the government should pay more attention to these organized events.
Yesterday, a number of major celebrations were organized across the North East region.
Around 06.5 pm Dravida Alliance Member of Parliament Sivagnanam Sreedharan organized a huge Mahaviru Samaru ceremony at Kanagapuram Mahaviru Cemetery with around 5000 people. It was the biggest event yesterday.
At 6.5 in the evening, a Mahaviru celebration ceremony was held at the Mulliyaveli burial ground with the participation of about 3000 people. Mullaitivu local council president Kamalanathan Wijindan had organized it.
At the same time, a commemoration ceremony was held at Iranapalai LTTE Burial Ground where 999 LTTE members were buried. The boards were displayed with the date of birth, name and year of death of the members. The commemoration was organized by the Iranapalai Sports Club and the relatives of the deceased members. About 2000 people participated in it.
From 6.05 pm to 7 pm, more than 1750 people, led by Dravida National Alliance MPs Thavarasa Kalai Arasan and Kaveendran Kodieswaran and Tamil National Janata Front leader Gajendrakumar Ponbalanam, gathered at the old LTTE graveyard in Ampara Thirukkovil police domain. The event was organized by the President of Ampara District Displaced Persons Association, Thamibirasa Selvarani.
At 06.5 in the evening, Mannar Mayor D. Mahaviru celebrations were held under the chairmanship of Gnanaprakasham and Sivakaran, the president of the Mannar Citizens Committee. About 1500 people participated in it.
At the same time, a Mahaviru celebration was held on Mullaitivu beach. It was presided over by Peter Ilanchenium, president of Mullaitivu Youth Association. Around 1500 people joined the event.
Dravida National Janata Peramuna Member of Parliament Selvarasa Gajendran and Dravida National Janata Peramuna National Organizer Dharmalingam Sureshya presided over the Mahaviru ceremony held at the LTTE Burial Ground in Tharava area. The number of people present was 1200.
1100 people gathered to celebrate the heroes under the leadership of Nagalingam Sankarapillay Naguleshan, Deputy Leader of the Democratic Fighters Party and Eastern Provincial Organizer at the LTTE Mahaviru Susana Bhumi located in the foothills of Wakare Kandal.
Former Northern Provincial Councilor Thureirasa Raviharan organized a Mahaviru celebration event in Mullaitivu Lampil area with the participation of about 800 people.
A group of around 700 gathered at the LTTE cemetery in Madhu Pandivirichchan area under the leadership of Dravida National Alliance Member of Parliament Charles Nimalanandan and celebrated the Mahaviru festival by planting 714 coconut trees and 1805 lamps.
500 people from Pudukuduirippu Devpuram area celebrated the heroes together under the leadership of Mullai Eason, the former Mullaitivu organizer of Vannikres organization.
In Mullivaikkal too, a celebration of heroes was organized. The celebration was presided over by Mullivaikkal Rural Development Society President. About 500 people joined it.
At the same time, a hero celebration ceremony was held in Oddusudan Kodarical area with the participation of about 300 people. The event was organized by Dharmalingam Jeevaratnam, a rehabilitated member.
A hero celebration ceremony was held in Retta Vaikkal area with the participation of about 300 people. About 250 local residents attended the Ambalanpokkane Mahaviru celebration.
Also, about 250 people joined the ceremony held at Kokkadichole Mavadimummari LTTE Burial Ground under the chairmanship of Kokkadichole Regional Council President Sinnathure Pushpanathan.
At the same time, a hero celebration ceremony was held at the Pallimunai Catholic Church, Mannar, under the leadership of Father Dennis Alistair, its head priest. About 200 people joined it.
The Oddusudan Sivan Temple was led by the Thai Tamil Peravi organization around 8 pm with the participation of about 200 people.
A private land near the Thandiadi Special Forces camp in Batticaloa was also prepared for a hero’s celebration. It was presided over by the former Member of Parliament of the Tamil National Party, Gnanamuthu Srineshan. 200 people attended the event.
The Mullaiveli police removed the pandal erected under the chairmanship of Mullaitivu local council president Kamalanathan Vijindran at the Mullaiveli LTTE burial ground. An argument took place between the two groups there. Later the conflict was settled -Lankasara
Photo courtesy of the Tamil Guardian.
