Updated 23:30 BST
The commander of the Sri Lankan army in Jaffna, General Udaya Perera warned student leaders and members of Jaffna University’s faculty that anyone involved in public commemoration of those who died in 2009 will be arrested, the Uthayan reported today.
General Perera told the students that they will remember the leader of the LTTE Velupillai Prabhakaran, as he also died that day, under the pretext of remembering the people and so the army cannot allow that. He added that any mourning should only take place within private homes.
The general accused the students of engaging in politics in a manner incorporating terrorism and said they have to stop these activities.
The meeting with General Perera, held at a military-run hotel in Kankesanthurai, was held a day after a notice went up yesterday informing students that the Jaffna University would be shut around the time of May 18.
The university has in the past often become the centre of point of clashes between Tamil students and the security forces, over attempts to prevent public displays of mourning.