Events were held across Batticaloa District today at Thuyilum Illams and in village memorial sites commemorating Maaveerar Naal.

Thousands of local residents and families of the Maaveerar gathered at the Thuyilum Illams (LTTE resting homes) and memorial sites across Jaffna district today to mark Tamil National Remembrance Day (Maaveerar Naal). 

Many wept at the traditional Thuyilum Illam song played whilst lamps were lit by make shift tombstones. 

More than 10,000 people gathered at the Kanagapuram Thuyilum Illam this evening to mark Maaveerar Naal and pay respects to those who gave their lives fighting for Tamil liberation.

Sri Lanka's minister of Megapolis and Western Development, Patali Champika Ranawaka on Monday called on the government to take legal action against Tamils commemorating fallen LTTE cadres on Tamil National Remembrance Day  (Maaveerar Naal). 

"Anyone commemorating the LTTE must be held responsible for the assassinations committed by the LTTE during the war," Mr Champika was quoted by the Colombo Gazette as saying. 

Maaveerar Naal headlines dominate Tamil newspapers in the North-East this morning.

The family members of Maaveerar were honoured during an event at Navalar Hall in Jaffna earlier today.

Theeruvil, Vadamarachchi 

Final preparations were underway this morning at Thuyilum Illams and memorial sites across the North-East ahead of commemorative events marking Tamil National Remembrance Day (Maaveerar Naal) today. 

Several people gathered outside the site of a destroyed LTTE cemetery in Kodikamam, Jaffna to commemorate the Tamil Remembrance Day.

Sri Lankan military officers stationed in vehicles next to Koappay Thuyilum Illam photographed Tamils who had arrived to light a lamp ahead of this evening's commemoration of Tamil National Remembrance Day (Maaveerar Naal).

Students across the North-East gathered at Eastern University in Batticaloa and at the University of the Jaffna this morning to mark Maaveerar Naal. 

Maaveerar Naal commemorations started in Nallur this morning at the destroyed memorial of Lt Col Thileepan.

Sri Lanka’s prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has ordered the halting of work to restore destroyed Tamil cemeteries in the North-East that were initially constructed by the LTTE to remember the Tamil war dead, reports the dailymirror.lk. 

Today on Maaveerar Naal Tamils around the world gather in memory of those who died fighting Sri Lankan state oppression. Emboldened by the thousands that gathered at destroyed LTTE resting homes (Thuyilum Illams) last year, preparations this year have been on the largest scale since the end of the armed conflict. Tamils across the North-East have braved intimidation from the military and intelligence personnel to clear and decorate Thuyilum Illams. This November has like those past seen a deliberate campaign of fear-mongering by the police, justifying the deployment of extra officers through citing an alleged rise in gang violence, which conveniently seems to rear its head this time each year.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Tilak told Sri Lankan press that China fully endorsed joint ventures that Sri Lanka was launching with India.

Speaking to dailymirror.lk, Mr Marapana said political elements were trying to misinterpret Sri Lanka’s warm links with China and India.

Speaking on his recent visit to China, where he met vice-premier Wang Yen, he said,