Batticaloa marks 'Black Tiger' day

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 July 1999, 13:08 GMT]
'Black Tigers day' was observed in the Batticaloa district on Monday with a hartal, residents said. Main functions were held at Kokaddichcholai and Karadiyanaaru they added.

Visu, the LTTE's Batticaloa and Ampara political leader, Nages, Military leader and several leading Tiger officials participated at these functions, they said.

Processions and public meetings were also held.

Photographs of all Black Tigers killed in the island's conflict -from Captain Miller (the first) to Major Arasappan (the most recent) - were displayed for remembrance by the people at public meetings held on Monday.

Posters with slogans were seen in several places in the Batticaloa district, including those which read: "We are not dead; we have been sown "and "We salute the (Black) Sea Tigers who sacrificed their lives"

The hartal was observed at Porativu, Palugamam, Ambilanthurai, Kokaddichcholai and Karadiyanaru.

Schools, government offices and shops were closed in the LTTE held areas in the east.

In Sri Lanka Army (SLA) held areas, security was strengthened on Monday, in anticipation of attacks by the LTTE.

All SLA soldiers' leaves were cancelled and search operations doubled on the day, residents said.