Bodies of LTTE cadres buried in Alankulam cemetery

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 13 July 2005, 01:34 GMT]
Bodies of Lieutenant Colonel Dikkan alias Vengai, Second Lieutenant Ilampuli and Anushan Kulasingham of the National Auxiliary Force who were gunned down by an armed group Sunday at Chelvanayakapuram in Trincomalee were buried at Alankulam cemetery in LTTE controlled Muttur east Tuesday evening with full military honours, sources said.

The International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) officials led by its new Trincomalee head delegate Mr.Rud Graf took the bodies in three ICRC vehicles from Trincomalee town Monday evening around 6.30 p.m by road through Kantalai and Seruvila, and handed over the bodies to LTTE officials in Sampoor, in Muttur east Monday at 10.30 p.m., sources said.

Bodies were kept in the Sampoor LTTE secretariat where LTTE activists paid their last respects. Thereafter the bodies were taken to Chenaiyoor Central College where funeral orations were held. Mr.Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district head attended the event.

Mr.Elilan said under the ceasefire agreement the government should provide security to unarmed LTTE political activists who are engaged in political activities in government controlled areas.

Chelvanayakapuram killings have highlighted that LTTE cadres are no longer safe doing political work in SLA controlled areas without carrying arms. "We are seriously considering if our political cadres should be withdrawn to safer areas, Mr.Elilan said.