Vavuniya court rejects Sri Lankan police request to ban Lt Col Thileepan memorial

by Sharmini
Sep 20, 2023

A court in Vavuniya rejected an application filed by Sri Lankan police to ban a memorial float dedicated to Lt Col Thileepan from travelling through Vavuniya. 

The police reportedly filed the application after two people had made a complaint that the memorial float would "disrupt racial harmony". 

On Saturday, a memorial float commemorating Lt Col Thileepan, a political wing leader of the LTTE, set off from Pottuvil and is heading towards Nallur to mark 36 years since his death. 

Thileepan began his fast on the 15th of September 1987, calling on the Indian government to honour pledges made to the Tamil people. 

Earlier this week, the memorial float was attacked by a Sinhala mob as it travelled through Trincomalee. The mob used stones and batons to destroy the vehicle as well as attack Tamil activists and TNPF MP Selvarajah Kajendren. 

Despite the presence of Sri Lankan police officers, the memorial float continued to be attacked. 

The Vavuniya court stated that everyone has the right to remember and ordered the police to take security measures to prevent any incidents similar to the one that took place in Trincomalee. 

 

 

 

 

 

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