Sri Lankan police interrogated two Tamil men for organising commemorative events during Maaveerar remembrance week in Kokkuvil, Jaffna.
Speaking to reporters after his interrogation yesterday, Amuthan said that he was questioned for 45 minutes by the police about the organisation of commemorative events during November 21 and November 27 and how he was able to fund the events.
Amuthan also said that the police questioned him over the use of the Tamil national flower - karthigai poo - at the event. The police had asked where he had got the image of the flower from and Amuthan told them it was taken from the internet.
Amuthan told reporters that he had requested a tailor to sew flags for the commemoration but the police officers have visited the tailor and warned them not to provide anything for future commemoration events.
Former Jaffna mayor, V Mannivannan went to the police station after the two Tamil men were called in for questioning. Speaking to reporters, Mannivannan said that according to the press, the Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake had said that Maaveerar Naal commemorations could go ahead without any objections. Mannivannan went on to explain that this has not been the case as there has been a crackdown by the Sri Lankan police following Maaveerar Naal.
A series of arrests have taken place since November 27. 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.
For years, Tamils have faced threats and intimidation by Sri Lanka's security forces, particularly when attempting to commemorate both fallen Tamil fighters and civilians.