EPDP joins Jaffna protest against desecration of Neeraaviyadi temple

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 October 2019, 12:21 GMT]
Representatives of the EPDP, a paramilitary which was collaborating with the Sinhala military of genocidal Sri Lanka against the Eezham Tamils without course-correcting itself even during the height of genocidal onslaught in 2009, joined a common protest staged in Jaffna against the recent desecration of Neeraaviyadi Pi'l'laiyaar temple in Mullaiththeevu. Ex-militant Tamil parliamentarians in the TNA, which politically collaborates with the failed regime in Colombo also attended the protest. The demonstration demanded action against extremist Buddhist monks and condemned the Sinhala actors, including the SL Police extending tacit support to the ‘Buddhism foremost’ approach of the occupying SL State.

Sinhala extremist Buddhist monks led by Gnanasara thero, the Secretary of Sinhala extremist Bodu Bala Sena, went ahead with cremating the dead monk, Kolamba thero, despite a court order restricting the act near the temple site.

Cremating the dead inside or close to the premises of a Hindu temple is regarded as an act of desecration.

Furthermore, the late monk was involved in Sinhala Buddhicisation of the temple by installing a giant Buddha statue with the support of the occupying Sinhala military creating controversies and triggering protests by Tamils during the recent years.

The demonstration, launched at Jaffna Central Bus stand, came after the lawyers temporarily ended their one-week long protest.

The lawyers in the North and East had received verbal assurance from the SL Attorney General's Department of launching investigations against the contempt of court shown by the extremist monks. However, the grassroots, including the lawyers, didn't trust the assurances from the SL AG.

The SL Police in Jaffna was trying to suppress the demonstrators from staging a procession through the Hospital road. However, protesters numbering around 600, marched through the Hospital Road before ending their protest on Saturday.

Former Tamil militant personalities turned electoral politicians, Selvam Adaikalanathan (TELO) and Tharmalingam Siththarthan (PLOT), of the Tamil National Alliance, as well as M.K. Shivajilingam (TELO), who is opposed to the collaborationist line of the TNA, were present at the protest in Jaffna. Mudiyappu Remedius who represents the EPDP at the Jaffna Municipal Council also joined them.

Tamil Makkal Kootani, which is led by former NPC Chief Minister Justice C.V. Wigneswaran extended its support to the protest as well as Saiva and Catholic dignitaries and grassroots organisations in Jaffna.

Chronology: