The funeral of cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and a civilian rural force member killed in a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) airstrike on the LTTE’s Thenaham Conference Centre in Karadiyanaru, Batticaloa district, was held last Sunday.
The eight had been killed, and another four wounded, on Saturday when the SLAF dropped 12 bombs on the centre in three rounds, completely destroying the LTTE’s flagship political centre in the Batticaloa district.
Batticaloa Head of Tamileelam War Hero’s Affairs, Thamilchelvan mama and Batticaloa Coordinator of Village Development Scheme Ariharan were among the dead. The LTTE officials had been having a preparatory meeting ahead of a public event planned for that Saturday.
LTTE Commanders Col. Banu and Col. Jeyam were present at Thandiyadi Heroes Cemeteray where five were buried with military honours.
Sri Lankan news reports claimed however that Col. Banu had been seriously wounded in the killing and the forty LTTE cadres had been killed.
The bodies of Lt. Col. Thamilchelvan Mama, Major Ariharan, Major Kavi, 2nd Lt. Mathusuthan and Rural Forces member Logithan were taken to Ambilanthurai where hundreds of peoples and LTTE cadres paid their last respects. The bodies were then taken in procession towards Thandiyadi Heroes Cemetery.
The cortege of the other three LTTE members, Captain Anali Chenchudar, Captain Uravan, and 2nd Lt. Mathusuthan were taken to Pulipaynthakal for last respects and were buried with military honours at Tharavai Heroes Cemetary. Hundreds of people took part in the funeral processions.
Thenaham was initially the LTTE’s headquarters in Batticaloa district. Later, it was made into a guest house and was being used as Conference Centre by the Tigers.
Foreign diplomats and Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials were usually received by the Tigers at Thenaham.
The eight had been killed, and another four wounded, on Saturday when the SLAF dropped 12 bombs on the centre in three rounds, completely destroying the LTTE’s flagship political centre in the Batticaloa district.
Batticaloa Head of Tamileelam War Hero’s Affairs, Thamilchelvan mama and Batticaloa Coordinator of Village Development Scheme Ariharan were among the dead. The LTTE officials had been having a preparatory meeting ahead of a public event planned for that Saturday.
LTTE Commanders Col. Banu and Col. Jeyam were present at Thandiyadi Heroes Cemeteray where five were buried with military honours.
Sri Lankan news reports claimed however that Col. Banu had been seriously wounded in the killing and the forty LTTE cadres had been killed.
The bodies of Lt. Col. Thamilchelvan Mama, Major Ariharan, Major Kavi, 2nd Lt. Mathusuthan and Rural Forces member Logithan were taken to Ambilanthurai where hundreds of peoples and LTTE cadres paid their last respects. The bodies were then taken in procession towards Thandiyadi Heroes Cemetery.
The cortege of the other three LTTE members, Captain Anali Chenchudar, Captain Uravan, and 2nd Lt. Mathusuthan were taken to Pulipaynthakal for last respects and were buried with military honours at Tharavai Heroes Cemetary. Hundreds of people took part in the funeral processions.
Thenaham was initially the LTTE’s headquarters in Batticaloa district. Later, it was made into a guest house and was being used as Conference Centre by the Tigers.
Foreign diplomats and Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) officials were usually received by the Tigers at Thenaham.
