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Sri Lankan police have initiated investigations into a decorative battle tank and a karthigai poo - the Tamil national flower - that were put on display at Thellipalai Union College's sports competition.
On Saturday, Sri Lanka's military and police visited the school premises where they took photographs and videos of the displays. The senior management of the school was also instructed to visit the police station where a statement was recorded from the principal.
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Whilst the oppressive surveillance by Sri Lanka's security forces in the North-East is not new, they have extended their clampdown in recent years. Earlier this year, a 16-year-old Tamil boy was interrogated by Sri Lankan police over a kite that was adorned with a map of Tamil Eelam at the Mullaitivu kite festival.
Last year, Sri Lankan police prohibited the use of the Karthigai poo at Maaveerar Naal commemorations in Mullaitivu after they claimed that the karthigai poo is an "LTTE symbol". During Maaveerar Naal 2023 commemorations, the Sri Lankan police went as far as banning yellow and red flags as the Tamil nation attempted to remember the tens of thousands of Tamils that sacrificed their lives in the armed conflict.
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