Sri Lanka bans LTTE commemoration

November 26 coincides with the slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran's birthday

Sri Lankan military today banned attempts to commemorate the LTTE rebels, saying any move to glorify terrorists that belonged to a proscribed organisation would be illegal.

Military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya was reacting to reports that some elements may try to observe the LTTE's heroes day which they celebrated annually on November 26.

"Promoting and propagating separatist ideology within Sri Lanka directly or indirectly even by using media freedom and attempting to commemorate or glorify terrorists that belonged to a proscribed organisation would be illegal," Wanigasooriya said in a statement.

November 26 coincided with the slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran's birthday and the death of the group's first fighting cadre in 1982.

During the LTTE's time when they ran a parallel administration in the north and east, November 26 was marked widely in heroe's day celebrations. The highlight was Prabakaran's annual policy speech for the organisation.

However, since the military defeat of the LTTE in 2009 no such celebrations have taken place.

Last year military arrested several Jaffna University students for allegedly attempting to organise November 26 celebrations.

They were later released on President Mahinda Rajapaksa's orders following representations made by their parents.