Tamils held a protest in Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu, today to condemn the attack by a Sinhala mob on a memorial float dedicated to Lt Col Thileepan.
Tamils from Thevipuram and Vallipunam chanted "do we not have the right to remember our loved ones?" during their demonstration.
Yesterday, a Sinhala mob threw stones and used batons to destory a memorial float dedicated to Lt Col Thileepan who fasted unto death in September 1987. To mark the anniversary, the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) organised a memorial float to travel from Pottuvil to Nallur, where Thileepan began his fast.
TNPF MP Selvarajah Kajendren was also injured in the attack despite the presence of Sri Lankan police officers.
Tamils in the North-East have been subject to routine harassment, surveillance and violence when trying to remember those who gave their lives in the liberation struggle.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
