The 70th birthday of Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was marked at several locations in the North-East earlier today.
In Chavakachcheri in Jaffna, locals at several locations cut cakes and handed out sweets on local buses to celebrate Prabhakaran’s birthday.
At the Maaveerar memorial that has been set up in Nallur, clay pots were set up to resemble the number 70, denoting his age.
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At the Arali Sri Murugan Community Center, a cake was also cut to celebrate Prabhakaran's birthday, following a commemoration event to honour the parents of those who gave their lives for the Tamil independence cause. The event was attended by Jaffna Member of Parliament Sivagnanam Sritharan, former ITAK Pradeshiya Sabha member Senathiraja Kalaiyamuthan, the parents of the fallen heroes, and the general public.
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In Valvettithurai, Tamils marked Prabhakaran's 70th birthday outside his childhood home - a building that has been demolished by the Sri Lankan state.
Amidst a heavy security presence, locals gathered to cut a cake and plant saplings. Initially police objected to a banner that had Prabhakaran's photograph, but eventually they allowed it to stay if the photograph was removed.
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Correction - An earlier version of this article mistakenly included a photograph from the University of Jaffna from 2018. It has been removed.