Black Tigers’ Day celebrations in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 July 2003, 16:14 GMT]
The Black Tigers’ day celebrations were held in Batticaloa on Saturday, with the main event at the Valaichenai-Pethalai play grounds, where the LTTE’s special commander for Batticaloa-Ampara, Mr. T. Ramesh and many other LTTE area leaders attended as the Chief Guest, sources said.

“Our leader V. Pirapaharan would often say that the Black Tigers, who use their mental strength to break the military strength of the enemy forces, are great human beings. The Black Tigers fight for the people’s rights and are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice of their lives in attacking enemy forces’ positions,” said Mr. K.Nizam, the head of the Treasury division of the LTTE for Batticaloa-Ampara, speaking at the start of the event.

Mr. Ramesh, Mr. Nizam, and the head of the political division, Mr. R. Kousalyan, his deputy, Mr. Kirusan, head of the women’s political wing, Ms. Premini, the military commander for the Aandankulakottam, Mr. V.Reggie, and the area’s political head, Mr.S. Thothiran and many other LTTE members were brought to the venue with a band.

Commander Ramesh raised the Tamil Eelam national flag and commander Reggie lit the flame of sacrifice. The mother of the first black Tiger in the Batticaloa district, Major. Rangan, garlanded his picture and paid tribute. Then the gathering paid tributes to all the Black Tigers.

Mr. Nizam, continuing his speech at the event said, “Sixteen years ago, Captain Miller of the Black Tigers destroyed a Sri Lankan Army camp in Nelliady, and we continue to remember him on the Black Tigers Day every year.

“The Black Tigers attacked the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and sacrificed their lives to redeem our land and our people. The Black Tigers are remembered not only by the Tamil people of the North-East, but also internationally by the Tamil diaspora. Tamils should continue to work toward the goals for which the Black Tigers sacrificed their lives.”