Fighters killed in Vavunathivu SLA camp attack remembered

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2003, 03:35 GMT]
The last day events of the sixth year memorial ceremony for the 103 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters, including Lt. Colonel Balendra and Lt.Colonel Mathana, who died during the attack on the Vavunathivu Sri Lanka Army (SLA) camp, began at 6am Thursday at the Tharavai grounds in Batticaloa district, sources said.

Batticaloa-Ampara senior commander of the LTTE, Colonel Karuna presided the event.

Special commander Ramesh hoisted the Tamileelam flag during the opening ceremony. Colonel Karuna hoisted the flag of the Mathana Brigade. Commander Nilavini of the LTTE women's brigade lit the ceremonial flame. LTTE's senior commanders then took salute to marching women's brigades.

Colonel Mathana' mother garlanded her daughter's photograph. Following this event Commanders, LTTE fighters and other LTTE officials paid respect to the photographs of the fighters who sacrificed their lives.

Meanwhile, residents in Kannanguda paid respects to the LTTE fighters' memorial in their village at 9 am Thursday in an event chaired by the president of Kannanguda Village Development society, Kandasamy (J.P). Pattipalai leader of LTTE political division hoisted the Tamileelam national flag. Ms. Thievanaipillai garlanded the memorial.

Puliyanthivu LTTE head of political division, Kuyilinpan, District head of political division, Senathirajah, Regional Director of Education, Veeravarman, Manmunai North Commissioner of Education, R. Thurairajasingham, and principals, teachers, students and parents of Manmunai West schools participated in the Kannanguda memorial ceremony, sources said.