SLAF Jets bomb Vaharai, disrupt tsunami memorial event

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 December 2006, 12:46 GMT]
Sri Lanka Airforce (SLAF) kfir fighter jets bombed Tuesday morning Kathiraveli and Palchenai residential areas in Vaharai in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) territory, and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched artillery and rocket fire from SLA camps in Mankerny, Kadjuwathe, during the second anniversary memorial prayers were being held for the tsunami victims at Vaharai Vigneswara temple around 9:25 a.m Tuesday. Five houses were badly damaged but no one was hurt when shells fell and exploded on residential areas, Vaharai sources said.



A. Nixon, the President of Vaharai area Civil Society Federation, presided to the event held to remember those who have lost their relatives in 2004 and lit the flame of sacrifice.

M. Moorthy, the Director of Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) for Vaharai division, while delivering the condolence speech, said, "Tamils are today in a deplorable state without event the freedom to mourn their dead fellowmen. A natural catastrophe occurs rarely and inflicts heavy toll on those unfortunate to be hit. But as far as Vaharai area is concerned, innocent people are being killed everyday as hunted animals.

“In the aftermath of tsunami, a number of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) came to Northeast to help, but today people are being affected worse than tsunami and no one appears to care.

“TRO serves our people as far as possible to fulfill their basic needs while our funds have been frozen by the Sri Lankan Government. The affected people are experiencing severe hardships. The inhumane Sri Lankan Government even does not allow the people to remember their dead relatives and pay homage to them,” he said.

The Political Head of LTTE for Vaharai Division, Thangan, and the Deputy Head of the Educational Wing Mrs. Umathevi Ratheeswaran also participated in the event.