Sri Lankan court bans 47 Tamil activists and politicians from commemorating Maveerar Naal

Mullaitivu Magistrate Court has banned 47 activists and politicians from across Tamil parties from participating in Maaveerar Naal events, following a request from the Sri Lankan security forces.

Judge R Saravanarajah issued an injunction against several politicians, activists, civil society members in Mullaitivu to disrupt commemorations ahead of 'Maaveerar Vaaram', the week of remembrance preceding Maaveerar Naal.

The court accepted the case after Sri Lankan police in Mullaitivu, Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mulliyawalai, Oddusuddan, Mankulam, Mallavi and Jayankankulam filed cases in their district courts seeking an injunction against the holding of commemoration events within their jurisdiction.

Maaveerar Naal - or Great Heroes Day - remembers those who sacrificed their lives in the Tamil struggle for freedom, and is marked on November 27, in memory of the first death of a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cadre, Lt Col. Shankar who died in combat on November 27, 1982. 

Ahead of Maaveerar Naal, Sri Lankan state officials patrolled the homes and interrogated family members of fallen LTTE cadres in Kilinochchi and Thirunagar, according to locals. 

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