News
Tight security in North over LTTE Maveerar Day events
View(s):Tight security was maintained throughout the Northern Province yesterday with temporary checkpoints and patrolling of military personnel in streets as residents and organised groups held events to commemorate those killed in the separatist war.
Remembrance events were mostly held in homes and in a few selected public places with people lighting oil lamps and candles to remember the dead.
The events coincided with November 27 “Maveerar” or Martyrs Day observed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) since the early 1980s to commemorate its fallen cadres.
Civilians conducting a commemorative event at an abandoned cemetery at Velani in Jaffna yesterday. Pic by Thayalan Lohanathan
Some civil society-led organisations and youth groups organised similar events among their close circles yesterday evening.
In Valvettithurai, more than a hundred people gathered at the Theeruvil grounds to commemorate their loved ones with flowers, garlands and candles but they were not allowed by security forces. However, a handful of people were allowed to take part in the event.
Several people and local politicians gathered in Chaati, Velanai at an abandoned LTTE cemetery, but security forces and police barred people from entering the site and allowed only a few people to go inside.
Police also prevented people who gathered on the Mullaitivu beach to mark the day and arrested one person who refused to obey police directives.
Throughout the province, many shops were closed and transport services were limited as political parties and civil society forums urged the people to observe low key commemorative events due to the court orders issued by various courts and the pandemic situation.
In the East, low key events were held in Batticaloa, Ampara and in Trincomalee but no public events were held.
The Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), the main constituent party of Tamil National Alliance, had organised a commemorative event in Kopay, but it was called off after the Jaffna Magistrate issued an order, banning commemorative events.
Earlier this week, in the Jaffna District, three Magistrate’s Courts refused to issue orders preventing commemorative events.
The Mallakam, Point Pedro and Chavakachcheri Magistrate’s Courts rejected the applications filed by the police on Friday seeking orders to prevent commemorative events.
On Thursday, Mullaitivu Magistrate’s Court amended its order to allow commemorative events without using LTTE symbols or photographs.
Police filed applications under the Penal Code, the Prevention of Terrorism Act and COVID-19 health guidelines.
Police in the Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Mannar districts applied for orders against commemorative events under similar provisions. Refusing to grant orders, the Magistrate’s Courts told police they could take action if regulations were violated at the events, but held the commemoration could not be held with LTTE symbols and flags.
Meanwhile, a Mullaithivu-based journalist was allegedly assaulted by military persons yesterday when he tried to take photographs of the name board of Mullivaikaal village where the last stages of the war took place.
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