Despite widespread unrest and anti-government protests in the South of the island Sri Lankan authorities continued to suppress Tamil remembrance activities in the North-East, said Tamil National People’s Front parliamentarian Selvarajah Kajendran in parliament last week.
The Tamil lawmaker was commenting on how Sri Lankan authorities had blocked the children of Annai Poopathy, a Tamil women who undertook a hunger strike until death in 1988 as she protested against atrocities committed by the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF).
Tamils in Batticaloa were obstructed from lighting lamps, whilst her children were blocked from visiting her grave.
“Your police department misguided the court to obtain an injunction order to prevent these 9 children from memoralizing their mother,” Kajendran told parliament.
#SriLanka opposition slammed for silence on court order to block commemoration of Annai Poopathi who died in a fast protesting the Indian army 34 years ago
— LankaFiles (@lankafiles) April 20, 2022
"None in opposition uttered a word when your police and court stopped children from honouring one of our mothers”@skajendren pic.twitter.com/LWtqenpRrv
"The country is in chaos at present because of the misgovernance and fraudulent activities of your president. Even in this chaotic situation, the government is not prepared to give up oppressions like this.”
“Not even a single member from the opposition party questioned the basis to obtain an injunction order to prevent memoralization of a mother who sacrificed her life for the betterment of Tamils,” he continued.
“Voices are raised against future events of police brutality against your people. However, your justice system only functional to prevent the memoralization of our mother and to strangle our throats. Stop this thuggery.”
