Sri Lanka’s Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala admitted that more than 244 Maaveerar Naal commemoration events took place across the North-East last week, as Tamils across the homeland paid tribute to those who gave their lives fighting for an independent state.
Wijepala made a special statement to Parliament on December 4 stating that out of the 244 commemorations, 10 displayed the Tamil Eelam flag or displayed images related to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
His remarks come on the back of a spate of arrests across the island, many under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Whilst one Tamil man was arrested in Jaffna, several Sinhalese men were also detained amidst reports that they shared material critical of the LTTE and of Tamil nationalism.
Wijepala claimed that the actions were part of a wider campaign aimed at creating division between the Tamil North-East and Sinhala South of the island. He specifically accused the National Democratic Front (NDF) of being behind a disinformation campaign and confirmed that several arrests had been made in connection with the spread of false information.
The minister said that some of the videos circulating on social media were from Maaveerar Naal commemorations held overseas or in previous years. While he acknowledged the right of people to hold ceremonies to honour their deceased relatives, he said that displaying LTTE symbols remains illegal.
The Tamil Eelam flag, which is not banned and flown openly in countries around the world, remains prohibited in Sri Lanka. Though there has been no formal ban against the flag, it is seen as an LTTE symbol by the Sri Lankan state.
Among those arrested was a suspect from Baddegama, who was detained on November 29 for allegedly sharing misleading content. This individual has been remanded until December 17. Another suspect, from Maradana, was apprehended for distributing foreign photos with false claims that they were taken in Jaffna; this person was later granted bail. Additionally, a third suspect from Boralesgamuwa remains in custody, also linked to the spread of false narratives.
Previously, Tamils were detained for years under the PTA, including journalists over charges linked to the ‘promotion of terrorism’. Many have been for Tamil nationalist or commemorative posts. The arrest of at the Sinhalese men over sharing content related to the LTTE however, seems different in context to the longstanding and continued arrests of Tamils under the PTA.
