Northern Provincial Council Member T Ravikaran, speaking after being investigated by Sri Lanka’s police for his involvement in Maaveerar Naal, reiterated his right and the Tamil people’s right to remember their war dead.
In a statement to press after the police inquiry, Mr Ravikaran, reaffirming that he would not hesitate to pay gratitude to those that died in the war, said,
“We are mourning our relatives, we should not hesitate to pay respect to our loved ones. Paying tribute to our loved ones is our right and it is the Tamil culture and tradition to light lamps to pay respect to those who are not alive. Many of my relatives died in the war and not only my relatives, thousands of people were killed in the war. It is our duty to pay respect to all those who died.”
NPC member summoned by Sri Lanka police for involvement in commemorating Tamil war dead (04 May 2015)
Three arrests over Maaveerar Naal posters (26 Nov 2014)
Death threats posted in Jaffna university (24 Nov 2014)
Teachers' union condemn military presence at Jaffna Uni (14 Nov 2014)
Tamils remember Maaveerar in North-East despite SL military violence and intimidation (27 November 2013)
Escalating repression of Maaveerar remembrance met with Tamil defiance (26
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