Sunday Times E-Paper

Tight security in North over LTTE Maveerar Day events

Tight security was maintained throughout the Northern Province yesterday with temporary checkpoints and patrolling of military personnel in streets as residents and organised groups held events to commemorate those killed in the separatist war.

Remembrance events were mostly held in homes and in a few selected public places with people lighting oil lamps and candles to remember the dead.

The events coincided with November 27 “Maveerar” or Martyrs Day observed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) since the early 1980s to commemorate its fallen cadres.

Some civil society-led organisations and youth groups organised similar events among their close circles yesterday evening.

In Valvettithurai, more than a hundred people gathered at the Theeruvil grounds

the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the early 1980s to commemorate its fallen cadres.

Earlier in the Jaffna district, three Magistrate's Courts refused to issue orders preventing civilian-led Maveerar Naal commemorative events.

Mallakam, Point Pedro and Chavakachcheri Magistrate's Courts rejected the applications filed by the police on Friday seeking orders preventing commemorative events.

However, the Jaffna Magistrate's Court issued an order preventing such commemorative events in its jurisdiction after police filed an application earlier this week.

On Thursday, the Mullaithivu Magistrate's Court amended the order it issued to allow commemorative events without using any symbols or photographs of LTTE leaders. Police filed applications under the clauses of the Penal Code, the Prevention of Terrorism Act and COVID-19 health guidelines.

Police in other districts such as Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and Mannar applied for orders against commemorative events under similar provisions. Refusing to grant orders, Magistrate Courts stressed that police could take action if regulations were violated in the events. But the courts said the commemoration could not be held with symbols and flags of the LTTE.

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2021-11-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-11-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://sundaytimes.pressreader.com/article/281539409229988

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