2ND LEAD

Nalloor Religious Head appeals Tamils to abstain from New Year celebrations

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 April 2009, 16:59 GMT]
“Celebrating New Year will not be appropriate while thousands of Tamils in Vanni are subjected to immense humanitarian agony and the proper thing to do is to pray for all parties involved to pursue a path to reach a good solution,” Nalloor Aatheenam (mutt) Chief Incumbent Srilasiri Somasunthara Paramaachchaariyaar Suvaamika'l, said in his New Year message to the press Jaffna Monday.

“Traditional celebrations of this nature are meant to regulate and harmonize human life but this is not the time for the Tamils to indulge in merriments while their brethren in Vanni and the detention centres in Jaffna peninsula are experiencing misery,” the message further said.

“Tamils have learned to live with grief and pain in their hearts and all Tamils should engage in religious worship and rituals praying for the spiritual fulfillment of the suffering people on New Year day,” the Chief Incumbent said.

He also appealed the people to share the grief and sufferings of the civilians detained in the various detention centres in Jaffna district who had been very much affected by the recent rains besides other difficulties they already face.

Saiva organizations in Jaffna peninsula have made arrangements to conduct special prayers and worship in all the Saiva temples in Jaffna district for a dawn in the life of the suffering Tamils.

Meanwhile, Jaffna Government Agent said that Seva Lanka, an NGO in Jaffna, has kindly consented to provide the New Year lunch Tuesday to all the inmates held in the detention centres in Jaffna district, in a news report to the press Monday.

Family members, relatives and friends are not allowed to meet the above detainees held in the Sri Lanka Amy (SLA) detention centres even on an auspicious day like New Year, NGO circles in Jaffna said.