Srilankan Tamil Poet Majeeth escapes attempt on life

Srilankan Tamil poet Majeeth(35), who had authored seven books and is one of the Editors of literary magazine "Peruveli", escaped unhurt in an attempt on his life. A powerful bomb exploded on Thursday, 19th July, 2007, 23.15 hrs SLT (Srilankan Time) in the verandah of his house at Beach Road, Akkaraipatru, Eastern Srilanka. The poet used to to have his literary meetings (which was attended by about dozen writers) in that portico of his house.Majeeth writes on the pains of war and is an advocate of peace.His famous line "Sarikanin pinangal thinnum kahangal pookkum thennaiyai tamil eelam" (Eelam looks like a coconut tree blooming with corpse-eating crows; the corpses are that of the righteous). Majeeth who supported the struggle for a separate Eelam since his early days became disillusioned with the LTTE in the recent years when they started using Muslims as pawns in their war against the Srilankan Army. The incident of Mutur where Muslims were used by LTTE as a shield against Srilankan Army was strongly criticised by Majeeth in "Peruveli".His new book titled "Puli painthapothu iravugal kodaigalaga irunthana" (when tiger bounced, nights turned into summers) never got printed following veiled threats from LTTE sympathisers. Majeeth is also afflicted with some illness related to brain for quite sometime now. He lives with his wife and only daughter.Though Majeeth's house has police protection after the incident, he feels insecure and threatened. (CBC)