Sri Lanka Police have removed a statue of Rasaiah Parthipan, commonly known as Thileepan, from the Thileepan Memorial Square in Jaffna, sparking fresh tensions in the Northern Province.
Thileepan, a senior figure within the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), remains a highly revered figure among many Tamil communities in the north of the country. He is particularly remembered for his fatal hunger strike in 1987, during which he demanded the Indian government fulfil pledges made to the Tamil people.
Statue Removed by Authorities
Officers moved to dismantle and remove the statue from the memorial site, a location that has long served as a gathering point for those who commemorate Thileepan's memory. The removal was carried out by police personnel deployed to the square.
The action is likely to draw significant reaction from Tamil political parties and civil society groups in the Northern Province, who have consistently opposed what they describe as the suppression of Tamil remembrance and cultural expression.
Sensitive Issue in Post-War Sri Lanka
The removal of the statue adds to a broader and deeply sensitive debate in post-war Sri Lanka surrounding memorialisation, reconciliation, and the rights of Tamil communities to honour figures significant to their history.
Tamil political representatives have repeatedly called on the government to allow communities in the north and east to observe commemorations without interference from security forces.
Authorities have not yet issued a detailed public statement explaining the legal or administrative basis for the statue's removal. Further developments are expected as political leaders and community groups respond to the incident.
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who gave the order? goverment or police on their own?
finally. no place for LTTE glorification in this country.
easy to say when its not your people or your history no?