By Karthiyayini

Colombo, Nov 2 (TruthDive)

: The statue of Thanthai Chelva (SJV Chelvanayakam) located near the Sivan Temple at Thirugnaasampanthar Street in Trincomalee was defaced on Sunday night. The statue is situated in a Sinhalese-occupied division of the Trincomalee city.

The defacement had taken place in the heart of Trincomalee city that is under the control of Sri Lankan government and its armed forces. On noticing the defacement, the infuriated people placed a cloth on the headless statue on Monday morning.

Local people suspect genocidal elements occupying Trincomalee for timing the act, when the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) team led by R Sampanthan, MP for Trincomalee, is meeting up with high-ranking officers of Obama’s government and UN seeking reconciliatory solutions for Eezham Tamils.

Thanthai Chelva is still being cherished as the ‘Father of Tamil Community’ in the entire island.

Mano Ganeshan, leader of the Democratic People’s Front (DPF) has criticized the defacement of the late Tamil leader Thanthai Chelva as “barbaric act by chauvinistic elements “. Mano Ganeshan has reminded the services of Thanthai Chelva who launched a non-violent struggle against subjugation of Tamils not only in North and East but also in the upcountry at a time when the Sri Lankan government marginalized the upcountry Tamils.

The defacement of Thanthai Chelva statue in Trincomalee should be considered as an act against the thinking of non-violent movement launched by the late leader, Mano Ganeshan further said. It should also be considered as an act of destroying all historical evidence of the history of Tamil community in their traditional land, he said.

The attack on Thanthai Chelva statue in Trincomalee has also stressed the need of taking forward the non-violent movement in achieving the legitimate demands and aspirations of the Tamil speaking people, Mano Ganeshan said in a press release.

The occupying Sri Lankan military has destroyed all traces of the memorials including burials of the Eezham Tamil war heroes, while imposing memorials were built for the genocidal Sri Lankan military and the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF).

The memorial was destroyed once before purportedly by the occupying Sri Lankan military and was reconstructed later.

Post Tags: Eezham Tamils, home, Lanka, Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Army, tamils, Thanthai Chelva, Trincomalee