In advance of the 36th Maaveerar Naal commemoration, Tamils across the homeland are preparing cemeteries to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in the armed struggle.

The 69^th birthday of Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was marked at several locations in Jaffna earlier today, including outside his childhood home.

Former MP M K Shivajilingam cut a cake in Valvettithurai, the leader's hometown, to mark the day.

Sri Lanka’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Director of the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) pledged to take legal action against those who attempted to mark Maaveerar Naal, as Tamils across the North-East geared up to commemorate their fallen fighters on Monday.

A book titled 'Enathu Makkalin Viduthalaikkaga' (translated as 'For the Liberation of My People'), a compilation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader Velupillai Prabhakaran's memoirs from 1984 to 2009, was launched in London, United Kingdom on Sunday 12 November 2023.

The event was attended by representatives of various Tamil entities in London, families of fallen LTTE cadres, associations, Tamil Eelam activists, journalists, and members of the diaspora. 

The Tamil nation, in the homeland and in the diaspora, holds steadfastly to records of the liberation struggle. The well-known dates and the lesser known dates are tirelessly observed. Heroes are canonised in the Maaveerar Naal calendar.

But with the destruction of LTTE records and cemeteries, it becomes inevitable that some names are lost to us, at least momentarily.

The record of Muslim fighters remains incomplete. Their contribution to the Tamil struggle for liberation is often overlooked in the mainstream commemoration of Maaveerar Naal.

Following the publication of the European Commission’s assessment reports on the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP), Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a statement stressing the need to reform the trade regulations to ensure that rights-abusing states are held to account.

“The EU GSP reports show that some countries seem to be on notice that their trade benefits depend on their human rights record, while others fear no consequence for their abuses,” said Claudio Francavilla, senior EU advocate at Human Rights Watch.

The Officers in Charge at Jaffna and Koppay police stations have filed a petition at Jaffna Magistrate's Court today, seeking a ban on Maaveerar Naal commemorations in the peninsula. 

The petition has specifically sought a ban on commemorations taking place at the University of Jaffna, Koppay Thuyilum Illam and at Lt Col Thileepan's memorial in Nallur, Jaffna. 

At the court hearing, the judge said the judgement will be adjourned until Monday morning. 

The Vice President of the Crusaders for Democracy party has been arrested under the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) for providing meals to the families of fallen LTTE cadres earlier today. 

Speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday, MP for Mitcham and Morden, Siobhain McDonagh, slammed raised concerns over the newly appointed foreign secretary’s, David Cameron’s, engagement with China and promotion of the Chinese-backed “Port City Colombo”.

Families of fallen LTTE cadres were honoured in another event in Mullaitivu and Jaffna yesterday as the Tamil nation marks Maaveerar remembrance week.  

Mallavi, Mullaitivu 

At the event in Mallavi, the mother of three fallen LTTE cadres lit the sacrificial lamp before flowers were laid to remember the tens of thousands of Tamils that gave their lives to the liberation struggle.