Thileepan, Shankar commemorated in NorthEast

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 September 2006, 23:22 GMT]
The nineteenth death anniversary of Lt. Col. Thileepan, a political leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who fasted unto death in 1987, and the fifth death anniversary of Col. Shankar, a senior commander and the founder of the Tiger air-wing, who was killed in a Sri Lankan Deep Penetration Unit triggered Claymore mine in Vanni in 2001, were commemorated in NorthEast on Tuesday. Hundreds of people took part in token fasts. Temple and church bells were rung at 10:48 a.m. The leader of the LTTE, Mr. V. Pirapaharan, paid homage to Thileepan and Shankar at a commemoration event.

Lt .Col. Thileepan fasted in front of the Nallur Temple, in Jaffna district for 12 days sacrificing his life on 26 September 1987.



Remembrance events were held at the District Secretariat compounds in Kilinochchi, Iranaimadu, Mankulam and in Mullaithivu in Vanni.

Political Head of LTTE's Women Wing, Thamilini, Jaffna District Political Head C. Ilamparuthi, Head of Tamileelam Judiciary E. Pararajasingham (Para) and Head of Tamileelam Heroes Secretariat, Pon. Thiyagam, addressed the audience.

"In the history of our liberation struggle, year 1987 witnessed a series of major challenges. Among the challenges, Thileepan marched forward with confidence and stood up for the policy. With his ultimate sacrifice, he shaped the political thinking of the whole people and strengthened the willpower of the Tamil nation," Mr. Para said in his address.

"The military psy-ops, propaganda, counter-insurgency tactics and thousands of paramilitary cadres of a superior military power, skilled in warfare, could not destroy Eealm Tamils willpower that sustained the struggle and multiplied our ability to resist the Sri Lankan state as a result," he further said.

In Batticaloa, LTTE's Political Head of Batticaloa District Daya Mohan, addressing the audience at Moonkilattu heroes cemetary for Batticaloa-Amparai war heroes in Udayarkattu, remembered the Thileepan's non-violent fast-to-death campaign before a war broke out between the Tigers and the Indian forces.

"Tamileelam national consciousness was strengthened by the non-violent sacrifices of Thileepan and Batticaloa mother Annai Poopathy in a unique way," Mr. Daya mohan observed. Tiger Commander Umaram lit the traditional flame and the flame of sacrifice was lit by Nalan, the administrative head of the elite commando Jayanthan Brigade of the Tigers.