Court in Jaffna dismisses SL military claim on Tamil memorial site at Theeruvil
Theeruvil monument photographed in early 90's [TamilNet Library Photo]
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 November 2013, 22:18 GMT]District Court of Point Pedro in Jaffna on Wednesday dismissed the claim by the Sri Lankan military that the land, which the Urban Council of Valveddith-thu’rai (VVT) had chosen to build a public park at Theeruvil was a property that should belong to the SL military. Legal sources in VVT said the civic body could now proceed with building the park which is situated at a key memorial site, where three significant monuments stood in remembrance of key LTTE leaders and commanders who sacrificed their lives under the occupation of Indian and Sri Lankan militaries and civilians massacred by the Indian military at VVT in 1989.
Following an ambush on Indian soldiers at VVT, a large contingent of Indian soldiers who were under the command of Brigadier Shankar Prasad declared curfew in VVT, entered the houses of civilians, raped more than 50 Tamil women, shot and killed more than 64 people, including children and women. The massacre, which went on for three days from 02 August 1989, is known as India’s Mylai massacre in the country of Eezham Tamils.
In remembrance of the victims of the massacre, the Valvai Massacre Monument was constructed in the form of a lotus flower at Theeruvil.
During the military intervention by India in 1987, Jaffna and Tricomalee regional commanders of the Liber
