Batticaloa students hoist Tamileelam flag in Annai Poopathy event

[TamilNet, Thursday, 06 April 2006, 11:32 GMT]
Students and the staff of Manchanthoduvai Technical College in Batticaloa Thursday 9 a.m. hoisted Tamileelam flag at the college premises at the memorial event for Annai Poopathy, sources in Batticaloa said. Sri Lankan policemen rushed to the College and removed the flag around 11:30 a.m. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), informed of the police action, arrived immediately to defuse the tension, and the commemoration continued till 1:00 p.m., sources said.



The memorial event was organised by Batticaloa Technical College Students Union

The event, presided by Student leader S. Rupaharan, was interrupted by the Kattankudy police who removed the hoisted Tamileelam National flag.

The policemen were present there till the event concluded.

The event was attended by students, teachers and the Principal of the College.

Annai Poopathy, commenced her fast unto death on 19th March, 1988 at Mahmangam Pillayar temple, to protest against the injustices perpetrated on the Tamils by the Indian Peace Keep Forces (IPKF) and to urge the Government of India to call for an immediate unconditional ceasefire between the LTTE and the IPKF. She went without any food for thirty days before her death on 19th April, 1988.

"Annai Poopathy made an indelible mark in the golden history of the Tamil struggle," declared LTTE leader Mr. V. Pirapaharan, in a release following her death. "She did not die as a human being. Her sacrifice symbolized the uprising of Tamileelam motherhood."