A blood donation drive was held in Nallur, Jaffna today to mark 37 years since Lt Col Thileepan's fast unto death.
The Thiyaga Thileepan Memorial Organising Committee held the donation drive at a memorial dedicated to Thileepan in Nallur, where many Tamils, both old and young donated their blood.
Thileepan began his fast on the 15th of September 1987, with 100,000 people gathered around the historic Nallur Kandwaswamy Temple in Jaffna. As he began his strike he put forward 5 demands to the Indian government.
1) All Tamils detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) should be released.
2)The colonisation by Sinhalese in Tamil areas under the guise of rehabilitation should be stopped.
3) All such rehabilitation should be stopped until an interim government is formed.
4) The Sri Lankan government should stop opening new police stations and camps in the Northeastern province.
5) The Sri Lankan army and police should withdraw from schools in Tamil villages and the weapons given by the Sri Lankan government to 'homeguards' should be withdrawn under the supervision of the Indian army.
Events dedicated to remembering Thileepan have been taking place in Jaffna since September 15 even though the Sri Lankan police sought a court order to prohibit the memorials from taking place.
