Politics · Sri Lanka Bureau
Government defends removal of Thileepan statue from public space
Sri Lanka's government has issued a statement justifying police action in removing a statue depicting former LTTE member Rasaiah Parthipan, commonly known as Thileepan. Government Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa explained the rationale behind the removal of the commemorative monument.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
Government Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has defended the removal of a statue depicting Rasaiah Parthipan, the former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) member known as Thileepan, citing government policy on public monuments.
The statue was taken down by police in an operation that prompted government clarification on the decision. Jayatissa's statement addressed public concerns and questions regarding the removal of the memorial, which had been erected to commemorate the LTTE figure.
Thileepan was a prominent LTTE leader who died in 1987 while on a hunger strike. His removal from public display reflects broader government positions on monuments related to the organization, which was designated as a terrorist entity and was central to Sri Lanka's three-decade conflict that ended in 2009.
The incident underscores ongoing tensions in Sri Lanka regarding public commemoration of LTTE figures and wartime history. Such actions continue to generate discussion about how the nation memorializes contested historical figures and periods from its recent past.