2nd Lead (Adds photos)

Flag Day to commemorate Welikada prison massacre victims

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 July 2004, 11:02 GMT]
The Flag Day jointly organized by the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) and Tamil People Forum (TPF) to commemorate the massacre of 53 Tamil political activists in Welikada jail twenty one years ago in July 1983 was inaugurated in Trincomalee town Saturday morning at the office of the TELO presided by a TELO enior activist Mr.Anpumani. Mr. Indrakumar Prasanna, general secretary of the TELO inaugurated the flag week in Batticaloa town.

Prsanna selling the first flag in Batticaloa

TELO activist Mr.V. Vigneswaran handed over the first flag to Trincomalee district parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham and the TELO Trincomalee district organizer Mr.K.Ranga handed over the second flag to octogenarian retired teacher Mr.P.Kandiah who is fondly called as Gandhi Master, sources said.

Trincomalee district head of the Thamileelam Resurgence Forum Mr.Kutty, All Ceylon Tamil Congress Vice President Mr.Satha.Shanmuganathan and several others participated in the event.

TELO Trincomalee district organizer Mr.K.Ranga is seen pinning the flag on octogenarian retired teacher Gandhi Master

Photgraph of Mr.Kuttimany is seen ( L) while Mr.Vigneswaran, Mr. Eelathumani, Mr.Kandiah, Mr.Thurairetnasingham ( TNA Trinco MP) and Mr.Satha Shanmuganathan of All Ceylon Tamil Congress are seen ( from L-R)

Mr.Eelathumani and Mr.Nithi Master look on while Mr.Vigneswaran of TELO pins the first flag on TNA parliamentarian Mr.Thurairetnasingham

Trincomalee district head of Thamileelam Resurgence Forum Mr.Kutty (L) and TEL activist Mr.Vigneswaran ( R) lighting the traditional oil lamp before inaugurating the Flag Day commemorating Welikada Massacre Victims

Twenty-one years ago the day after pogrom against Tamils broke out in Colombo city on July 23, 1983 Sinhala prisoners with the support of prison officials and government authorities massacred Tamil political activists serving sentences in Welikada prison. Altogether 53 leading Tamil political activists were killed. One of the leading Tamil activists Mr.Kuttimany was killed after Sinhala prisoners gouged out his eyes.

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Fifty three Tamil prisoners murdered in Welikade prison