LTTE declares January 26 as National Day of Mourning

[TamilNet, Sunday, 23 January 2005, 16:42 GMT]
"Liberation Tigers declare 26th January as a National Day of Mourning to remember those who lost their lives in the Tsunami disaster in Tamil Homelands and in other regions of South Asia. Let us all participate in the grief and sorrow of all who have lost their loved ones on this day," said Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in a press release issued from its Kilinochchi political offices Sunday.

Translation of the full text of the press release issued in Tamil follows:

"Our people suffered untold hardship, destruction and misery during the two decades of war. The ceasefire provided our people, especially to those living in the sea coast, a chance to resume fishing to rebuild their lives.

It is under this circumstances the force of the tidal waves hit the Southeast Asian region including Sri Lanka causing unprecedented devastation on the 26 December 2004. Our people living in coastal areas of Tamil homeland have been severely affected. The fury of nature has rendered our people homeless, traumatized them by taking away lives of their loved ones and forced them to seek shelter in welfare centers and in homes of their friends and relatives.

Liberation Tigers declare 26th January as a National Day of Mourning to remember those who lost their lives in the Tsunami disaster in Tamil Homelands and in other regions of South Asia. Let us all join in the grief and sorrow of all who have lost their loved ones on that day.

Let us light our memorial lamps in our Tamil Homeland and in all Tamil Homes across the countries of the world, and reserve a place in our hearts and remember the lives lost at the moment in time when the force of Tsunami took the lives of our brothers and sisters.