TNA condemns Sivanesan killing

[TamilNet, Friday, 07 March 2008, 14:38 GMT]
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in a statement issued Friday strongly condemned the killing of its Jaffna district parliamentarian K.Sivanesan on Thursday at Maangku'lam along A9 highway. TNA has been expressing its deepest sorrow and distress over the killing of Mr. Sivanesan in a claymore explosion, the statement added. "Mr. Sivanesan worked hard for the emancipation of the Tamil people, against social injustice and for the development of co-operative movement. He won the hearts of Tamils by his unwavering stand on the freedom struggle by his deed and speech. He dedicated himself from the young age for the liberation of his people," the TNA statement said.

"The TNA points out at this juncture its parliamentarians Joseph Pararajasingham in Batticaloa, N.Raviraj in Colombo, former parliamentarians Chandra Nehru, Sivamaharasa and a candidate, Vigneswaran and several heads of local authorities in the North and East had also been killed in a planned way. The number of Tamils who have been fighting for the rights of their community are being killed and the number of Tamils surrendered daily at the office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka are also on the increase.

A translation of the TNA statement, issued in Tamil, follows:

TNA condemns Sivanesan killing

"The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) strongly condemns the killing of our Jaffna district parliamentarian K.Sivanesan on Thursday at Maangku'lam along A9 highway. We express our deepest sorrow and distress over the killing of Mr. Sivanesan in a claymore explosion.

"Mr. Sivanesan was elected to parliament from Jaffna district in 2004 general elections. He had shifted his family from Karaveddi, Jaffna to Mallaavi due to the closure of the A9 highway. He also faced threat to his life and him while residing in Karaveddi.

"Sivanesan participated in the debate in parliament on March 5 and voted against the motion extending the state of emergency for another month. Later, he left for Mallaavi where his family has been residing in his vehicle. He met his death on his way to Mallaavi. He had miraculously escaped a claymore explosion during the middle of last year in the same site targeting his vehicle.

"It is believed that the claymore attack targeting Mr. Sivanesan had been carried out by the Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lanka Army. Such attacks had been carried earlier in Vanni by the Deep Penetration Unit of the SLA.

"The TNA points out at this juncture that its parliamentarians Joseph Pararajasingham in Batticaloa, N.Raviraj in Colombo, former parliamentarians Chandra Nehru (Ampaa'rai), Sivamaharasa (Jaffna) and a candidate, Vigneswaran (Trincomalee) and several heads of local authorities in the North and East had also been killed in a planned way.

"While the number of Tamil representatives who have been fighting for the rights of their people are being killed, the number of Tamils who surrender daily at the offices of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka are on the increase.

"The TNA made representations to the Speaker several times regarding death threats to TNA parliamentarians and that they are being obstructed to carry out their parliamentary and democratic activities. But no action has been taken on the TNA complaints.

"The TNA stresses at this juncture that no force could stop Tamils voicing and fighting for the freedom of their community by killing its democratically elected representatives and subjecting them to intimidation and death threats.

"Mr. Sivanesan worked hard for the emancipation of the Tamil people, against social injustice and for the development of co-operative movement. He won the hearts of Tamils by his unwavering stand on the freedom struggle by his deed and speech. He dedicated himself from the young age for the liberation of his people.

"The death of Mr.Sivanesan is an irreparable loss to the Tamil community. His sacrifice would not go unrewarded. It would contribute to the liberation of the Tamil nation.

"We expresses our deepest condolences to his wife and children and the supporters."

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