University of Jaffna students marking the first day of Maaveerar remembrance week
Mallakam Magistrate Court has rejected a number of petitions filed by Sri Lankan police to ban Maaveerar Naal commemorations in Jaffna this week.
Petitions filed by Manipay, Palaly, Thellipalai and Achuveli police were all dismissed by Mallakam Magistrate Court today.
Manipay police had filed a petition claiming that the date on which Eelam Tamils around the world honour those who died in the liberation struggle, was glorifying terrorism.
Every year in the lead up to Maaveerar Naal, the Sri Lankan state attempt to block Tamil memorialisation activities through court orders or by intimidating Tamil people participating in remembrance events.
Although Sri Lanka's security forces try to crackdown on Maaveerar Naal commemorations, Tamils in the North-East continue to mark the day.
To mark the first day of Maaveerar remembrance week, students at the University of Jaffna gathered on campus to remember those who sacrificed their lives and a memorial dedicated to the 24,379 Maaveerar who died between November 27 1982 and May 18 2009, was unveiled in Nallur.
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