Heroes Day celebrations held across Jaffna as jubilation triumphs fear

[TamilNet, Sunday, 26 November 2006, 12:22 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers remained inside their camps in the villages in Vadamaradchy, Valikamam, Thenmaradchi sectors and the outskirts of Jaffna city following posters that warned soldiers to stay inside their camps Sunday. Villages that have remained gripped with fear due to forced disappearances and killings for many weeks, were decorated with red and yellow flags, and youths wearing tiger-striped uniforms were seen in many places in Vadamaradchy, residents said. Meanwhile, SLA soldiers in Jaffna town and the surroundings of University of Jaffna and Parameswara Junction on Palay Road conducted search operations.

Civil activists hoisted Tamil Eelam national flag in Thiruvil Square in Valvettithurai where a memorial of the senior commanders of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Lt. Col. Kumarappa and Lt. Col. Pulendran and ten other cadres, is located.

Photos of senior LTTE commanders were displayed and garlanded in Thondamanarau.

Meanwhile, sweets and cakes were distributed to mark LTTE leader Velupillai Pirapaharan's 52nd birthday in the streets of Jaffna.

Heroes Day posters were seen all along the walls, special pooja ceremonies and prayers were also held in temples and churches in many places.

Sri Lanka Army troopers were disturbed by a gurupooja for Sir Pon. Ramanathan at the Parameswaran Temple inside Jaffna Campus Sunday morning. The soldiers mistaking the event as a pooja event conducted to celebrate the birthday of LTTE leader, harassed the organisors and searched the campus premises, campus students said.

Armed youth shot at SLA troopers who attempted to move out of Inparutty camp in Vadamaradchi Sunday around 8:00 a.m. When the soldiers opened fire, a civilian identified as R. Mathivannan, 30, was wounded.

A 15-minute gunfight ensued between the SLA soldiers and the armed youth near Uduppidy Ellankulam Heroes cemetary in Vadamaradchy around 3:30 p.m.

Flame of sacrifice was lit Sunday morning at the Ellankulam Heroes Cemetary, residents in Udupiddy said.