Tamil party MPs commemorate Heroes Day in Jaffna

Jaffna: Parliamentarians of Sri Lanka’s main Tamil Party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday commemorated the Mahaveer Day (Heroes Day) remembering those who had died in the armed struggle for a separate state in the island’ north and east.

In a ceremony at the TNA offices in Jaffna, TNA MP Mavai Senathirajah led commemorations, as party members gathered to remember lives lost in the Tamil struggle. The party members lit oil lamps and held a moment of silence, Tamil Guardian reported.

Former TNA parliamentarian and Northern Provincial Councilor M.K. Shivajilingam lit the flame of sacrifice at the historic Nalloor temple in Jaffna to remember the war dead.

In a separate event, the University of Jaffna commemorated the Mahaveer Day on the campus at noon today. Students, lecturers and other staff of the university lit candles at a makeshift memorial, with a placard paying respects to the fallen LTTE fighters.

Sri Lanka police earlier said it is illegal for individuals and organized groups to publicly celebrate terrorism or engage in activities that reflects loyalty to traditions that terrorist groups had followed in the past, since LTTE is a banned outfit. However, the families of the cadres could mourn privately in their houses, the police said.

There was no overt military or police presence in Jaffna, including the sensitive university area, to prevent people from mourning, Express News Service reported. However, TNA activists had said that they had seen police and army in civvies.