Commemorative meetings and remembrance services were organised across the North and East on account of LTTE supreme leader Velupillai Prabakaran’s birthday, which fell on November 26.
The occasion was used to commemorate the LTTE members who died during the Eelam separatist war that plagued the country for nearly three decades.
According to intelligence agencies, a large number of programmes were organised in the region by LTTE sympathizers, pro-LTTE politicians, priests, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
It has also been reported that this was the first time that after the war, those who died in the war have been commemorated on such an organised scale and without any hindrances. A salient feature was that almost all these ceremonies started at 6.05 p.m.
The intelligence agencies have also reported that there was no issue with the normal celebrations organised in houses and villages, but the government should pay more attention to these organised events.
Several major celebrations were held yesterday throughout the North East region.
At around 06.5 p.m., under the aegis of Tamil Alliance Member of Parliament Sivagnanam Sreedharan, a huge Mahaviru commemorative ceremony was organised in Kanagapuram Mahaviru (hero) Cemetery with the participation of about 5000 people. It was the biggest event held yesterday.
At 6.5 in the evening, a Mahaviru celebration ceremony was held at the Mullayyavelli burial ground with the participation of about 3000 people.
It was organised by Mullaitivu local council Chairman Kamalanathan Wijindan.
At the same time, a commemoration ceremony was held at the Iranapalai LTTE Cemetery, where 999 LTTE members were buried. Commemorative sign boards were displayed with the date of birth, name, and year of death of the members. This commemoration was organised by the Iranapalai Sports Club and the relatives of the deceased members, and around 2000 people participated in it.
From 6.05 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Kanchikudichchiaru Old LTTE Graveyard in Ampara Thirukkovil Police Division, more than 1750 people, led by Tamil National Alliance MPs Thavarasa Kalai Arasan and Kaveendran Kodieswaran and Tamil National People’s Front leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, gathered and held a grand commemorative festival. The event was organised by the President of the Ampara District Athuradan Vuvan Association, Thambiraza Selvarani.
At 06.5 in the evening, a Mahavira ceremony was held at the LTTE cemetery in the Andankulam area, Adampan, Mannar, under the chairmanship of Mannar Mayor D. Gnanaprakasham and Mannar Citizens Committee Chairman Sivakaran. About 1500 people participated in it.
At the same time, a Mahavira celebration was held on Mullaitivu beach. About 1500 people joined the event, which was presided over by Peter Ilanchenium, President of the Mullaitivu Youth Association.
Tamil National Alliance Member of Parliament Selvarasa Gajendran and Dravida Janata Peramuna National Organizer Dharmalingam Sureshya were the leaders of the Mahaviru ceremony held at the LTTE Burial Ground in the Tharava area. The number of people present was around 1200.
At the LTTE Mahavira burial grounds located in the Kandal Adi area of Wakare, over 1,100 people gathered to celebrate the heroes under the leadership of Nagalingam Sankarapillay Naguleshan, Deputy Leader of the Democratic Party and Eastern Province.
Former Northern Provincial Councilor Thureiraza Raviharan organised a Mahavira celebration event in the Mullaitivu Alampil area with the participation of about 800 people.
A group of around 700 gathered at the LTTE cemetery in the Madhu Pandivirichchan area under the leadership of Tamil National Alliance Member of Parliament Charles Nimalanandan and celebrated the Mahaviru festival by planting 714 coconut trees and lighting 1805 lamps.
Over 500 people from the Pudukuduirippu Devpuram area celebrated the heroes together under the leadership of Mullai Eason, the former Mullaitiv organiser of the Vannikres organization.
A Maha Viru celebration was also held in Mullivaikkal. The celebration was presided over by the president of the Mullivaikkal Rural Development Society. Around 500 people joined it.
At the same time, a hero’s celebration ceremony was held in the Oddusudan Kodarical area with the participation of about 300 people. The event was organised by rehabilitated LTTE member Dharmalingam Jeevaratnam.
A hero celebration ceremony was held in the Retta Vaikkal area with the participation of about 300 people. About 250 local residents attended the Ambalanpokkane Mahavira celebration.
Also, about 250 people joined the ceremony held at Kokkadichole Mavadimmummari LTTE Burial Ground under the chairmanship of Kokkadichole Regional Council President Sinnathure Pushpanathan.
At the same time, a Mahavira celebration ceremony was held at the Mannar Pallimunai Catholic Church 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 organisation around 8 p.m., with the participation of about 200 people.
Private land near the Thandiadi Special Forces camp in Batticaloa was also prepared for a hero’s celebration. Gnanamuttu, a former member of Parliament, had organised this.
Another pandal built-in Mualativu was removed by the police, triggering an argument between the police and the organisers that were later settled.
