Mullivaikaal war memorial vandalized

A war memorial built in Mullivaikaal, Mulliathivu for those who were killed in the final phases of the war in 2009 was damaged by unknown persons last night, police said.

The memorial was vandalized last night after a group, led by Catholic priests visited the site to prepare the memorial location for the upcoming commemorative events scheduled on May 18.  The group also brought a fresh memorial plaque to be fixed within the memorial premises. According to the organizers of the event, the plaque also went missing.

The organizers lodged a complaint to Mullaithivu police today alleging that military personnel visited the site soon after they arrived last evening. The organizers added that they were engaged in preparations for low-key May 18 commemorative events considering the current pandemic situation in the country.

Condemning the incident while noting military and police personnel visited the site before the memorial was damaged last night, Spokesperson of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) M.A. Sumanthiran vowed that Tamil people will remember their war dead despite difficulties imposed by government authorities. (Pix by N.Lohathayalan)