Tense Situation In Jaffna As Police Obstruct Thileepan’s Death Commemoration

September 28, 2020

A tense situation occurred in Jaffna over the week as the Police obstructed events to commemorate the 33rd death anniversary of former LTTE activist T. Thileepan.

Representatives of political parties and residents of the area had organized a fast in front of the Shivam Hindu Kovil in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna, in protest of the conduct of the Police.

The protesters said that the Tamil people had a right to remember anyone who died during the war and that the present government has deprived the Tamil people of their rights in the North.

A tense situation arose when a group of students in black came to the Jaffna University premises.

Police later asked the university to comply with the injunction. However, the students argued that they could dress in any color and hold a memorial service near the memorial within the Jaffna University grounds.

Former LTTE activist Thileepan died on September 26, 1987 during a hunger strike.