Everyone who has visited Jaffna has probably walked past this mound of concrete.
Opposite Nallur Temple, just in front of Rio’s Ice Cream parlour, stands the now destroyed memorial to Lt. Col. Thileepan.
🧵A thread on rebuilding and resisting.
#tamil #eelam #srilanka
/1
Opposite Nallur Temple, just in front of Rio’s Ice Cream parlour, stands the now destroyed memorial to Lt. Col. Thileepan.
🧵A thread on rebuilding and resisting.
#tamil #eelam #srilanka
/1
35 years ago, 100,000 people flooded the streets as he launched a hunger strike for Tamil rights.
He was a medical student before becoming political leader with the LTTE. And he was just 23 years old.
His hunger strike lasted for 11 days. He died on September 26th 1987.
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He was a medical student before becoming political leader with the LTTE. And he was just 23 years old.
His hunger strike lasted for 11 days. He died on September 26th 1987.
/2
The next year, a monument was constructed to honour Thileepan and his sacrifice.
As with many memorials to figures from the liberation struggle, it was revered by Eelam Tamils.
/3
As with many memorials to figures from the liberation struggle, it was revered by Eelam Tamils.
/3
But in 1995, the Sri Lankan army launched an offensive capturing Jaffna and displacing over half a million Tamils.
In 1996, the army destroyed the memorial.
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In 1996, the army destroyed the memorial.
/4
After the 2002 Cease Fire, the memorial was slowly reconstructed.
A sky blue column was constructed with Thileepan’s portrait and lamps adorning it.
It was an impressive memorial built to commemorate a remarkable figure in Tamil history.
/4
A sky blue column was constructed with Thileepan’s portrait and lamps adorning it.
It was an impressive memorial built to commemorate a remarkable figure in Tamil history.
/4
Jaffna, however, remained under Sri Lankan occupation.
In 2006, soldiers defaced Thileepan’s portrait at the memorial.
In 2007, armed men smashed large sections of it.
And in 2010, in the aftermath of the Mullivaikkal genocide, it was destroyed completely.
/5
In 2006, soldiers defaced Thileepan’s portrait at the memorial.
In 2007, armed men smashed large sections of it.
And in 2010, in the aftermath of the Mullivaikkal genocide, it was destroyed completely.
/5
However, that was not the end.
Despite the occupation, Tamils would brave the military and every September gather at the same spot to remember Thileepan.
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Despite the occupation, Tamils would brave the military and every September gather at the same spot to remember Thileepan.
/6
Some would come and light lamps. Others would lay a few flowers. Red and yellow flags were hung. The portrait of Thileepan returned.
And slowly but surely, more and more people gathered every year to pay their respects.
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And slowly but surely, more and more people gathered every year to pay their respects.
/7
The memorial still has not been fully restored. And commemorating Thileepan does not come without its risks.
But the Tamil people remain defiant.
They are still rebuilding. And they are still resisting.
/end.
But the Tamil people remain defiant.
They are still rebuilding. And they are still resisting.
/end.
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