20th anniversary of hospital massacre remembered in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 21 October 2007, 12:28 GMT]
Twentieth death anniversary of twenty-one persons including medical specialists, nurses, attendants, patients, and members of public who were killed inside Jaffna Teaching Hospital (JTH) by Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) troops stationed in Jaffna Fort on 21st October, 1987 was held at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital Sunday morning at 10:15 a.m., sources in Jaffna said. Mrs. K. Yogarany, a staffer at the Teaching Hospital, presided the event.

Hospital Director, Mr Gnanajothi, Administrative Officer, K Pathmanathan, Nursing Administrator, C.Vairavanathan, Nursing School Principal Ms C. Thevamalar, Supervisor K Kailayapillai, Doctors, Hospital staff and relatives of the victims participated in the memorial event.

The victims of the massacre included three leading medical specialists at that time, Dr.A.Sivapathasuntharam, Dr.K.Parimelalahar and Dr.K.Ganesharatnam, three nurses and fifteen other employees.

The soldiers of the IPKF, advancing from the Jaffna Fort to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, shot dead the 21 staff inside the hospital even after they identified themselves as members of the medical staff.

Chronology: