Tamil National Resurgence Convention begins in Vavuniya
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 July 2005, 09:37 GMT]
A Tamil national resurgence conference with more than one thousand Tamil national activists comprising academics, writers, religious dignitaries, representatives of civil organisations and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs from Amparai, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Vanni and Mannar, began in Vavuniya at 10:30 a.m on Wednesday at Vairavapuliyankulam Children's Park. Leaders of the Up-Country Peoples Front (UPF) and the Western Province Peoples' Front (WPPF) are also participating in the conference, sources in Vavuniya said.
Representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) participated upon invitation by the organising committee in the event that was held in SLA held area of Vavuniya, LTTE sources said.
Mr. V. Vigneswaran, President of the Trincomalee District National Resurgence Forum, is presiding over the conference.
Head of the Tamil National Resurgence Forum, Mr.Sanjai, LTTE officials including its Senior Member Mr. K. V. Balakumaran, Head of LTTE Women's Political Division Ms. Thamilini, LTTE's District Political Heads of Jaffna, Mullaitheevu, Mannar and Vavuniya districts are participating in the event.
A section of the religious dignitaries participating in the national convention
Rev. Rayappu Joseph, Bishop of Mannar, Mr. Basheer Moulana, General Secretary of the Secretariat for Tamil-Muslim Relations in Jaffna District were also among the participants. Professors V. Nithiyanantham, N.Shanmugalingan, P. Sivanathan, S. Sathiyaseelan are also among the academics attending the conference.
The conference was ceremonially inaugurated as Mr. Marusaleen, father of late Lt. Col. Victor, the Mannar Commander of the LTTE in the 80's, hoisted the Tamil Eelam national flag and Ms. Mapanapillai, the mother of late Black Tiger Capt. Borg, lit the traditional lamp.
Delegates being invited by the organising committee
Traditional Oil Lamp being lit at the beginning of the ceremony
Although the conference was convened without protection by the Sri Lankan Police or the Armed Forces, Police personnel were deployed in large numbers at the Station Road and the 6h lane of Vairavapuliyankulam.
A grenade explosion took place at 1:40 p.m at a railway crossing 700 meters from the conference, but no casualties were reported.
Senior leaders of Tamil National Alliance
(L-R) Parliamentarian and Leader of Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF), Mr Periyasamy Chandrasekaran and Mr.R.Sampanthan, Tamil National Alliance ( TNA ) parliamentary group leader and Trincomalee district parliamentarian.
The proclamation on behalf of the Tamil people in the NorthEast enlightening the international community on the political aspirations of the Tamil people will be made at the end of the conference, organizers said.
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