Thousands of Tamils gathered near Eechankulam Thuyilum Illam to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.

While Eechankulam was the only LTTE cemetery to have been built in the Vavuniya District, the original Thuyilum Illam is under the occupation of the Sri Lankan army.

Thousands of British Tamils gathered at the ExCel convention centre in London today to mark the 36th Maaveerar Naal. 

Sri Lankan police have arrested the Batticaloa district organiser for the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), as he headed to the Thandiyadi Thuylim Illan just moments ago.

Kanapathipillai Gukakumararajah was reportedly detained and lamps that he was set to light to commemorate Maaveerar Naal seized.

He is currently being held at Vavunathivu police station.

Sri Lankan police prevented dozens of Tamils, including a member of parliament, from commemorating Maaveerar Naal at the site of a cemetery housing the war dead earlier today, forcing them to light lamps on the roadsides of Amparai.

Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam was amongst those present attempting to reach the Kanchikkudiyaru Thuyilum Illam this morning.

A Vavuniya court today ordered that there is no ban on commemorating the war dead.

The Eechankulam Police had filed a case in the Vavuniya District Court to ban the commemoration of the LTTE, as two organisations have taken steps to commemorate Maaveerar Naal. Police claimed there was a chance of disturbances.

The judge ruled this morning that anyone has the right to remember the dead, and that commemorations could not be banned. The court has also ordered police to arrest anyone causing disturbances.

The People for Relief and Equality in Lanka (PEARL) highlights that on Maaveerar Naal,  Eelam Tamils commemorate fallen LTTE cadres but also “reinforce their nationhood and the shared understanding of the political paradigm where they choose their own future and live free of state oppression.” 

Commemorations have been taking place across Jaffna as the Tamil nation marks the 36th Maaveerar Naal. 

Hundreds gathered at a memorial dedicated to Lt Col Thileepan in Nallur this evening to mark the day. 

Impunity in Sri Lanka has deepened, given the Government of Sri Lanka’s failure to ensure any kind of accountability for those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed at the end of the civil war in May 2009.

While the war may have ended, the persecution of Tamils in Sri Lanka and abroad continues.

Sri Lankan police were seen tearing down red and yellow flags in Alampil, Mullaitivu, just hours before Maaveerar Naal commemorations are set to begin. 

Thousands of Tamils defied the Sri Lanka security forces and gathered across the Tamil homeland, and around the world today, to mark Maaveerar Naal - Great Heroes Day - and remember those who sacrificed their lives in the Tamil struggle for liberation. 

Commemorations took place despite a Sri Lankan crackdown this week, which intensified this morning. Riot police armed with shields and batons were sent to shut down a memorial event in Batticaloa, whilst in other parts of Eelam Tamils were blocked from commemorating their heroes.