North East celebrates May Day

[TamilNet, Friday, 02 May 2003, 01:05 GMT]
A four page joint statement declaring that a political solution should be found on the basis of a self-rule with self-determination to the Tamil national question was released at the combined May Day rally organized by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU), and several civil organizations held in Jaffna Central College grounds Thursday evening, sources in Jaffna said.

The May Day procession started from Nallur Kandasamy Temple at 2 pm. Thursday, sources said.

Several floats depicting the sufferings of the internally displaced people and the sacrifice Tamils made in the freedom struggle were taken in the procession.

Participants in the procession shouted slogans demanding the army to leave Jaffna and urging Tamil politicians to continue to fight united under the leadership of the LTTE.

LTTE activist Semmanan hoisted the Thamileelam national flag. Parliamentarian M.K.Sivajilingam, Mr. Solomon Cyril, LTTE activist Kalaivilzi, religious leaders of different faiths and parents of LTTE martyrs lit the flame of sacrifice, sources said.



At Illupaidaychchenai, 20 km northwest of Batticaloa in the LTTE held area May Day was celebrated. Batticaloa-Amparai political head Mr.Kausalyan presided. TNA parliamentarians Messrs Jospeh Pararajasingham, G.Krishnapillai and K.Thangavadivel participated in the celebration. Amparai-Batticaloa special commander Mr.T.Ramesh also participated, sources said.

Floats depicting the suffering of Tamils were brought to the venue from Vakarai and Kaluwanchikudi, sources said.

At Vavuniya May Day was celebrated at the Vavuniya Urban Council grounds. Large number of people participated in the celebration amid heavy rain, sources said. TNA parliamentarians Messrs Selvam Adaikalanathan, Sivasakthi Anandan and Raja Kuhaneswaran also participated, sources said.