The Muttur magistrate court issued a prohibition order to 17 individuals, including Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) leader and MP, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, and TNPF MP Selvarajah Kajendran, prohibiting them from conducting Maaveerar Naal commemoration events in Trincomalee.
The court order was issued on Thursday in response to a complaint made by the Sambur police, as fallen Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters were being commemorated at the Sambur Alankulam Maveerar Thuyilum Illam at the time the order was issued. Maaveerar Naal is observed by Tamils around the world on November 27th each year to honour and remember the sacrifices made by LTTE fighters during the 26-year armed struggle between the group and the state.
The Muttur magistrate court has issued a prohibition order to 17 people including @TnpfOrg parliamentarians @GGPonnambalam , @skajendren for conducting the #MaveerarNaal commemoration events at the Trincomalee Sambur Alankulam Maveerar Thuyilum illam . pic.twitter.com/93na4yPTJw
— kumanan ? (@kumanan93) November 23, 2023
This annual attempt by the Sri Lankan state to prevent Tamil memorialization activities, either through court orders or by intimidating Tamil individuals participating in these events, has become a recurring issue in the days leading up to Maaveerar Naal.
As Maaveerar Naal approaches, tensions are likely to rise, and the Sri Lankan government's handling of these events will undoubtedly face increased scrutiny on both national and international fronts. The ongoing struggle between the state and the Tamil community over the right to remember and mourn the war's victims remains a poignant issue in Sri Lanka's complex post-war landscape.
