Sri Lanka demolishes Heroes' Resting Homes in the name of removing Tiger legacy.

Sri Lanka government has begun clearing all Liberation Tigers' landmarks in the North including Heroes' Resting Homes of fallen Liberation Tigers in an attempt to wipe out any trace of the Tigers.

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupying Jaffna peninsula is actively engaged in demolishing the Heroes’ Resting Homes of Liberation Tigers in Uduppidi, Kodikaamam, Koappaay and Vealanai in the islets of Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said.

Foreign media persons now visiting Jaffna peninsula in large numbers who show a keen interest in visiting the HRHs are shocked to witness the systematic demolishment of war heroes’ memorial monuments which are given due respect all over the world.

SLA which invaded the peninsula in 1996 had then ploughed down the HRHs in the peninsula with bulldozers but during the 2002 peace accord between the government and the Liberation Tigers they had been restored.

The people in the peninsula are not allowed to visit the HRHs and now the news of SLA demolishing reaching them has enraged them.

Tourism Ministry Secretary George Michael confirmed told the media, on Thursday March 18, the government had begun clearing LTTE landmarks in the north in line with the government’s policy.

“The official government policy is not to highlight former LTTE landmarks for tourism purposes. The government has already begun to clear some LTTE landmarks inline with the government’s view that terrorism, the LTTE and the violence which affected the public during the war should be forgotten,” Michael said.

According to media reports, LTTE landmarks have now become a popular tourist spot in the north as people flock to these areas to view the buildings and houses which once belonged to the LTTE leaders.

Nearly 300,000 local and foreign tourists have visited Jaffna, since the opening of the A-9 road to Jaffna, sources in Jaffna said.