Jaffna University VC agrees to rebuild Mullivaikkal memorial

A hartal action has been launched in the North and East today (11) in support of the fast-unto-death commenced by students of the Jaffna University to protest against the removal of the Mullivaikkal war memorial.

The action had been launched at the request of Tamil political parties and the Students’ Union of the Jaffna University.

However, despite the closure of shops in the North and East due to the hartal, the lives of the people have now returned to normal, Ada Derana correspondents stated.

Meanwhile, students have decided to end the 2-day hunger strike after the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jaffna promised, this morning, to rebuild the removed Mullivaikkal memorial.

The Mullivaikkal Memorial Monument, erected by the students of the Jaffna University on the campus in 2018 to commemorate the Tamil civilians who died in the civil war, was removed by the university authorities on the night of January 08.

This resulted in a tense situation as students, residents and political representatives had gathered in front of the university to oppose the removal. Authorities later deployed STF personnel in addition to the Kopai Police to control the situation.

Subsequently, 05 students of the Jaffna University commenced a fast-unto-death on 9th January to protest the removal of the monument.