World · Sri Lanka Bureau
Sri Lankan police remove Thileepan statue from Jaffna memorial site
Authorities have removed a statue of Rasaiah Parthipan, known as Thileepan, from Thileepan Memorial Square in Jaffna. The former LTTE member's statue has been taken down from the northern memorial location.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
Police operatives removed the statue of Thileepan from the memorial square bearing his name in Jaffna, according to reports. Thileepan, whose real name was Rasaiah Parthipan, was a prominent member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the country's decades-long conflict.
The removal marks a significant development regarding public memorialisation of figures associated with the armed group. Thileepan Memorial Square has served as a gathering point in Jaffna for commemorative events and public remembrance.
The action reflects ongoing tensions surrounding monuments and memorials linked to the LTTE and the civil war period. Sri Lanka continues to grapple with questions about how to handle public spaces dedicated to war-related figures and the broader process of post-conflict reconciliation in the north.
No official statement regarding the reasons for the removal or its timing was immediately available.