Sri Lankan forces occupying Jaffna planned the assassination of the Deputy Director of Education for Valikaamam, Mr. Markandu Sivalingam, on Sunday night, media sources in Jaffna said. “We cannot keep quiet seeing such murders. If we do so, tomorrow even we will not remain. We have to mobilise ourselves very urgently,” said Rev. Fr. Jesudas, the principal of St. Hendry’s College, I’lavaalai, speaking at the funeral of Mr. Sivalingam at Maruthanaamadam, Tuesday. It was attended by large number of students, teachers, principals and the public. But neither SL military officials, nor the officials of the provincial administration attended the funeral. On the day of his assassination there was the ‘disaster management’ gala attended by SL prime minister forcing students to ‘sing’ Sinhala anthem.
“Whenever academics and intellectuals were assassinated in the past, we were keeping quiet. But we have not achieved anything by that silence. Such assassinations are escalating now. Our continued silence will invite dangerous consequences,” Fr. Jesudas further said in making obituary.
Speaking at the funeral, the Director of Education for Jaffna, Mr. Ratnam Tamilmaran asked all sections to condemn such assassinations of academics. Attack on academics in on the escalation. Stopping that is in the hands of everybody, he said.
The funeral procession started from the house of Mr. Sivalingam at Urumpiraay. Amidst heavy rains there was a big crowd. His colleagues took charge of the body at Maruthanaamadam junction, where the Valikaamam regional education office is located. Principals of all leading schools, teachers, students and education officers paid homage.
The cremation took place at Maruthanaamadam Saiva crematorium.
Mr. Sivalingam was a peace-loving person who was looking after Tamil language curriculum as part of his deputy director duties. He was keeping himself away and was aloof from the ongoing manoeuvrings of the government with the schools and students in Jaffna. He didn't resist his assassins. His daughter pleaded that if the killers had come for robbery, she would part with her jewellery. Yet, Mr. Sivalingam was shot on the chest.
There was public anger on the absence of any provincial administration officials at the funeral. Just on the previous day these Tamil officials were in the retinue of the colonial governor Maj. Gen. Chandra Sri, when he came to open an education office at Kaarainakar.
The Government Agent of Jaffna Mrs Imelda Sugumar, who claims that she is always with people, didn't attend the funeral. The EPDP minister Douglas Devananda went to the house of Mr. Sivalingam and skipped the funeral.
As some stunning details of the assassination of Mr. Sivalingam is being circulated in Jaffna, the absence of the SL military and administration officials at his funeral have evoked further suspicions among the public.
In a territory where thousands of military were needed for the security of visiting SL politicians, only three policemen were at the procession and funeral of Mr. Sivalingam.
Chronology:
Armed men who arrived in a motorbike shot and killed 52-year-old Markandu Sivalingam, the deputy director of Education, Valikaamam Zone, Sunday night at his residence in Urumpiraay in Jaffna, sending shock waves across the education sector in Jaffna. The killing of a peaceful educationalist, who recently took up the post after serving at Koappaay Teachers Training College for a long time, has taken place when Sri Lankan military had maximum deployment in Jaffna as the SL Prime Minister was visiting the city on the occasion of a Tsunami remembrance event, forcing the Tamil students to sing Sri Lankan anthem in Sinhala. Mr. Sivalingam was shot at his chest around 10:30 p.m., Koappaay police said.
A series of armed attacks have taken place in recent times in the Jaffna peninsula.
The military commander of Jaffna, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe made a public apology 10 days ago for the shooting incident that claimed the life of a Hindu priest in Changkaanai. The gun used in the incident belonged to the SLA, the general admitted in a press meet earlier.
The killing of Hindu priest came after Sri Lankan military threatening temples of serious consequences if any temple bell was tolled on the Heroes Day on November 27.
Now the killing of an educationalist when students of reputed schools in Jaffna were forced to sing Sri Lankan national anthem in Sinhala on Tsunami day event, has raised serious allegations on the modus operandi of the ‘armed robberies’ admittedly being carried out by ‘gangs’ that have been associated with the Sri Lankan military intelligence.
Koappaay Police brought the dead body of Mr. Sivalingam to Jaffna Teaching Hospital Sunday night.
Chronology:
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Obituary address by Rev. Fr. Jesudas at the funeral [Photo: TamilNet]
Speaking at the funeral, the Director of Education for Jaffna, Mr. Ratnam Tamilmaran asked all sections to condemn such assassinations of academics. Attack on academics in on the escalation. Stopping that is in the hands of everybody, he said.
The funeral procession started from the house of Mr. Sivalingam at Urumpiraay. Amidst heavy rains there was a big crowd. His colleagues took charge of the body at Maruthanaamadam junction, where the Valikaamam regional education office is located. Principals of all leading schools, teachers, students and education officers paid homage.
The cremation took place at Maruthanaamadam Saiva crematorium.
Mr. Sivalingam was a peace-loving person who was looking after Tamil language curriculum as part of his deputy director duties. He was keeping himself away and was aloof from the ongoing manoeuvrings of the government with the schools and students in Jaffna. He didn't resist his assassins. His daughter pleaded that if the killers had come for robbery, she would part with her jewellery. Yet, Mr. Sivalingam was shot on the chest.
There was public anger on the absence of any provincial administration officials at the funeral. Just on the previous day these Tamil officials were in the retinue of the colonial governor Maj. Gen. Chandra Sri, when he came to open an education office at Kaarainakar.
The Government Agent of Jaffna Mrs Imelda Sugumar, who claims that she is always with people, didn't attend the funeral. The EPDP minister Douglas Devananda went to the house of Mr. Sivalingam and skipped the funeral.
As some stunning details of the assassination of Mr. Sivalingam is being circulated in Jaffna, the absence of the SL military and administration officials at his funeral have evoked further suspicions among the public.
In a territory where thousands of military were needed for the security of visiting SL politicians, only three policemen were at the procession and funeral of Mr. Sivalingam.
Chronology:
Zonal Deputy Director of Education shot dead in Jaffna
[TamilNet, Monday, 27 December 2010, 09:03 GMT]Armed men who arrived in a motorbike shot and killed 52-year-old Markandu Sivalingam, the deputy director of Education, Valikaamam Zone, Sunday night at his residence in Urumpiraay in Jaffna, sending shock waves across the education sector in Jaffna. The killing of a peaceful educationalist, who recently took up the post after serving at Koappaay Teachers Training College for a long time, has taken place when Sri Lankan military had maximum deployment in Jaffna as the SL Prime Minister was visiting the city on the occasion of a Tsunami remembrance event, forcing the Tamil students to sing Sri Lankan anthem in Sinhala. Mr. Sivalingam was shot at his chest around 10:30 p.m., Koappaay police said.
A series of armed attacks have taken place in recent times in the Jaffna peninsula.
The military commander of Jaffna, Maj. Gen. Hathurusinghe made a public apology 10 days ago for the shooting incident that claimed the life of a Hindu priest in Changkaanai. The gun used in the incident belonged to the SLA, the general admitted in a press meet earlier.
The killing of Hindu priest came after Sri Lankan military threatening temples of serious consequences if any temple bell was tolled on the Heroes Day on November 27.
Now the killing of an educationalist when students of reputed schools in Jaffna were forced to sing Sri Lankan national anthem in Sinhala on Tsunami day event, has raised serious allegations on the modus operandi of the ‘armed robberies’ admittedly being carried out by ‘gangs’ that have been associated with the Sri Lankan military intelligence.
Koappaay Police brought the dead body of Mr. Sivalingam to Jaffna Teaching Hospital Sunday night.
The house of Deputy Zonal Director Markandu Sivalingam at Urumpiraay
Chronology:
Related Articles:
27.12.10 'Disaster management' observed with Sinhala anthem in Jaffna
25.12.10 Schools in Jaffna ordered to ‘sing’ Sinhala Only Sri Lanka a..