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Cemeteries cleaned, memorials restored for Maveerar Naal amid Govt. nod
View(s):By S. Rubatheesan
Ahead of the annual collective commemorative ‘Heroes Day’ event known as ‘Maveerar Naal’ to be observed next Thursday (27), final preparations are in full swing in the Northern and Eastern provinces to commemorate Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) members and civilians who perished during the three-decade-long armed uprising for a separate state that ended in May 2009.
Similar to last year, cemeteries where LTTE cadres were buried and damaged memorials are being cleared by locals, and major suburban towns are being draped in red and yellow flags to mark the day.
The day coincides with the birth anniversary of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.
Preparations are in full swing to mark the event
Several Tamil parties and civil society outfits urged the government to release these cemeteries, some of which are under military control, to remember the dead.
In Nallur, near the damaged memorial of LTTE commander Rasaiah Parthipan, known by the nom de guerre Thileepan, a makeshift memorial hall was put up displaying the names of fallen LTTE cadres.
The Valikamam West Pradeshiya Sabha’s National Peoples’ Power (NPP) members took part in a memorial event organised during the proceedings on Friday to remember those who were killed in the armed conflict.
“Our government is not against conducting commemorative events to remember the loved ones who were killed. The government also declared that moves are underway to release the military-occupied wartime cemeteries as well,” NPP councillor P. Kajamugan said after lighting an oil lamp at the Sabha hall along with fellow councillors.
The local councillor was referring to Fisheries Minister R. Chandrasekar’s recent statement that the government would release the cemeteries which are under military control to allow locals to engage in collective commemorative events.
The statement came two months after Mr Chandrasekar was prevented by organisers from attending a commemorative event on September 17 to remember the death of LTTE commander ‘Thileepan’ at a memorial in Nallur. The event had been organised by the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF).
Earlier this week, the NPP’s Batticalao district parliamentarian Kanthasamy Prabu, in a speech in Parliament, urged the government to release the Thandiyadi LTTE cemetery, where “thousands of East-based fallen cadres were buried.
In the north, there were disagreements over organising collective commemorative events since some political parties tried to dominate the process for political gains, according to civil society activists.
Several Tamil parties tried to secure the Nallur site where the temporary memorial was set up. The dispute was sorted out with the intervention of the Jaffna Municipal Council. The Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK)-run council decided to organise the event, urging other parties to make it a collective commemorative event.
Tamil civil society outfits declared ‘Heroes Day’ week starting on Friday (21) and culminating on Thursday, November 27.
LTTE cemeteries in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu, Mannar, Vavuniya, Batticalao, Trincomalee and Ampara are being cleared with the participation of relatives of the dead and youth groups.
At Mulankavil, in Kilinochchi, in one of the largest LTTE cemeteries with thousands of graves, an event was held last Thursday honouring the parents of the fallen cadres.
Meanwhile, the government announced this week that grieving families could remember their loved ones but warned that any display of symbols associated with terrorist organisations would be a punishable offence.
Last year, the government took a conciliatory approach, allowing mass gatherings and collective commemorative events to take place in the two provinces despite police securing court orders against vigils or public gatherings being held in selected areas. A symbolic event in Colombo’s Wellawatte area was also permitted with police permission.
| Tamil Nadu political leader in Jaffna ahead of Maveerar Day The Tamil Nadu-based Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader and Lok Sabha member, Thol Thirumavalavan, was in Jaffna last Friday (14) to participate in an event organised by Tamil civil society outfits ahead of the Heroes Day event. The event, coinciding with a tree plantation campaign across the Northern and Eastern provinces, was held at Sangiliyan Park in Nallur. During his two-day visit, the Indian politician visited Mullivaikaal, took part in political meetings and met political leaders, including Tamil National Peoples’ Front (TNPF) leader Kajendrakumar Ponnambalam. | |
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