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tamil nadu
& Tamil Eelam freedom struggle DMK supporter Sivaprakasam
immolates himself
during Chennai human-chain protest against Sri Lanka
TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2009
[see also தீயினில் எரியாத தீபங்கள்
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Muthukumar, Ravichandran,
Thamil
Venthan,
Muruguthasan
]
A 60-year old Dravida Munetra Kazhalagam (DMK) member who
worked as a driver with the metropolitan transport corporation
self-immolated demanding immediate stop to the killings of Tamils in the
NorthEast by the Sri Lanka Government. S Sivaprakasam was a participant at
the human-chain protest organized by the DMK Youth Wing when he set himself
ablaze. He suffered fourth-degree burns, and later died at Kilpauk
Government Medical College.
DMK party sources said that Sivaprakasam delivered a hand written letter to
the Party officials, but declined to reveal the contents.
"With flames raging from his body, he shouted slogans against "genocide of
Tamils", said Mandaveli Natarasan, a DMK functionary, who tried to douse the
fire. He shouted Save Tamils' and Stop Genocide' even as the crowd retreated
from the burning man. A traffic constable, Sathish Babu, and Natarasan, who
sustained minor burns in his hands, managed to douse the fire. After first
aid at a private hospital he was moved to the Kilpauk hospital," Indian
daily Times of India reported.
Sivapragasam was previously a DMK Party organizer, and lived in Chemmeangari
tsunami settlement near Cholanga Nalloor in Chennai. He is married with four
daughters and a son.
"Ravi of Pallapatty, Ravichandran, a Congress worker in
Sirkali in Nagapattinam disrict, DMK supporter Amaresan in Chennai, and
VCK cadre Tamilvendhan in Cuddalore were among those who have committed
suicide for the Tamil cause. The trend has spread to faraway places like
Geneva, where a Sri Lankan Tamil burnt himself in front of the UN office
there, and Malyasia, where two youths perished in the same way," said
the Indian daily describing the recent immolations.
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