Tigers celebrate Heroes Week

Tamil guerrillas have begun celebrating the Heroes Week to commemorate the death of their cadres as the armed forces have been given instructions not to hinder the events in government-controlled areas.

Simultaneously instructions have gone out from President Chandrika Kumaratunga to the state controlled media to refrain from criticising the Tamil guerrillas.

The Heroes Week which commenced on Thursday coinciding with guerrilla leader leader Velupillai Prabhakaran's 50th birthday is being marked in all parts of the north and east.

The moves came as the security forces and the Tamil guerrillas have reached an understanding not to act in a provocative manner during the Heroes Week. Senior military officials confirmed that the two sides had discussed the modalities on allowing the Heroes Week celebrations to go unhindered in the government controlled areas while the LTTE had agreed to co-operate with the military.

In Jaffna, senior military officials led by Deputy Security Forces Commander, Major General D. Ratnasabapathy met with LTTE's Deputy Political Wing leader S. Thangan at the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) office to work out the modalities.

Maj. Gen. Ratnasabapathy said that during the meeting the LTTE gave an assurance that they would not act in a provocative manner and also said that school children and government servants should not be allowed to take part in the events.

An understanding was also reached that tents will not be allowed to be put across the road as it obstructs the traffic and flags and cutouts with the Eelam Symbol will not be allowed to be exhibited in government-controlled areas. But despite the LTTE agreeing not to fly the LTTE flag in public buildings, the LTTE flag was hoisted at the Mahajana College in the eastern Batticaloa district.

Reports from the north and east said that in some instances few of the low ranking military officers were not co-operating and some of the decorations had been pulled down.

In one of the incidents the army had prevented the LTTE hoisting the flag in a co-operative building claiming that it was treated as a provocative act which could lead to a hostile situation.

Superintendent of Police, Hector Dharmasiri said that plain cloths policemen and additional police have been deployed.

Last morning, the LTTE declared open an exhibition for the public at the Mahajana College in Batticaloa to commemorate Heroes Week. Photographs of 3,500 LTTE members died in action have been displayed.

SLMM Spokesperson Agnes Braggaditis said police removed some of the LTTE propaganda material decorated in the Jaffna town as it was a provocative action. "Except for that the event has been quiet. No major incidents have been reported," she said.