2nd Lead (Adds photos)

LTTE militarily strong to face another war- Elilan

[TamilNet, Friday, 24 September 2004, 17:20 GMT]
"We hate war and we are committed to the current peace process. However, we are militarily strong to face a war if it is thrusted on us," said Mr.S.Elilan, head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Trincomalee political wing addressing a meeting which followed a token fast held Friday in Trincomalee Hindu Cultural Hall to mark the seventeenth death anniversary of LTTE senior leader Lt.Colonel Thileepan.

Mr.Elilan speaking at the event

Mr.Elilan further said that India has been adopting the same policy which it adopted with the induction of its army to the northeast in Sri Lanka in the pretext of providing security to Tamil people in the province.

Several hundred students, teachers and members of public participated in the fasting from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., sources said.

At the commencement of the fasting, Mr.Malaravan, Trincomalee administrative head of the LTTE hoisted the Thamileelam national flag. Trincomalee Zonal Director of Education Mr.K. Thilakaretnam lit the flame of sacrifice and Mr.Vageesan, Head of Trincomalee Students Federation garlanded the photograph of Lt.Colonel Thileepan.

A meeting with Mr.Vageesan in the chair followed.




Hindu Culutral Hall where fasting was held

Students fast to mark the 17th death anniversary of Lt Colonel Thileepan

A section of students participating Thileepan death anniversary in Trincomalee Hindu Cultural hall

The banner dispalys (in Tamil) five demands put forward by Lt Colonel Thillepan when he commenced his fast unto death fast