The 15th anniversary of the genocide at Mullivaikal was commemorated today in Mannar, organised by the Tamil National Right to Life Movement under the leadership of its president, V.S. Sivakaran. The commemoration started with the lighting of a memorial lamp and laying of a flower garland by local priest Father Avithappar. The event was held at the statue of Thanthai Chelva in the Mannar Bazaar area. Following the garland-laying, attendees were offered Mullivaikkal kanji, a commemorative gesture to honour the memory of those who perished, and the hardship faced by survivors in the final days...
Thousands of Tamils have gathered in Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu, the area where tens of thousands were massacred by the Sri Lankan government in the final days of the armed conflict fifteen years ago. Families of those killed in Mullivaikkal laid their photos around the commemoration ground, adorning flowers and lighting lamps in their memory. Govindarasan Punithavathy, who lost her husband in Mullivaikkal in May 2009 lights a lamp to begin the commemoration event. Eelam Tamil singer Kilmisha Yaazhisai, winner of last year's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Lil' Champ competition in India pays tribute at...
Flowers were scattered at Nandikadal lagoon by Tamil activists including former Northern Provincial Council member Thurairasa Ravikaran to mark Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day. This year marks 15 years since Sri Lanka's genocidal offensive that massacred tens of thousands of Tamils. Ravikaran said that Nandikadal is "a silent witness of the sad final scenes of our glorious history and is filled with our tears and blood of our relatives."
The Sri Lankan military overruns the last remaining ‘No Fire Zone’. TamilNet receives a final phone call before it loses all communication with its correspondents in the field.
The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung met with Tamil families of the disappeared, former combatants, and former Prevention of Terrorism (PTA) detainees, where she reiterated the inherent right of the families to mourn and memorialise their dead. Chung who is currently touring Jaffna, said on X: “Even today many Sri Lankan citizens face continued intimidation. All families have the right to memorialize loved ones. Their stories are poignant reminders of the need for a peaceful, durable political solution.” Met with families of the disappeared, former combatants, and former PTA detainees...
Remnants from Mullivaikkal were on display as survivors spoke at the launch of the second edition of Mullivakkal Stories by Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research in Jaffna. Among some of the items shown were the limited options for food such as the Mullivaikkal Kanji, vaipan, rice and lentils, and fried roti. When food, aid, and medicines were cut off to Tamil Eelam during the last stages of the armed conflict, Tamils relied on these foods to sustain themselves. Remnants of Mullivaikkal - in a makeshift hut, collected items were showcased, accompanied by people & their stories on the heart...
The University of Jaffna has displayed artwork on campus to mark 15 years since the Tamil genocide where tens of thousands of Tamils were brutally massacred at the hands of the Sri Lankan armed forces. Some of artwork depict the atrocities, such as extrajudicial killings, carried out by Sri Lanka's military during the final months of the conflict.
Sri Lankan police officers obstructed Tamils in Pillaiyaradi, Batticaloa, from distributing kanji to mark the sixth day of Tamil Genocide Remembrance Week. This is the second time this week that Tamils in Batticaloa have been blocked by Sri Lankan police from distributing kanji as part of their commemorations. On Wednesday, Sri Lankan police officers surrounded the Tamil activists as they attempted to prepare and distribute Mullivaikkal Kanji, a tradition that Eelam Tamils have practised to remember the victims of the genocide committed by Sri Lankan security forces. Every year, in the lead...
Writing in Scroll.In, Meenakshi Ganguly, the Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that the "unaddressed legacy of war" has led to Sri Lanka's "abuse, impunity and misgovernance that still blight the country." Ganguly highlights that although 15 years have passed since the genocide at Mullivaikkal, there has been no justice or accountability for the Tamil community. "Successive governments have appointed a series of commissions ostensibly to investigate reported abuses, while in practice blocking investigations and shielding the abusers. The fate of the thousands of '...
Members of the US Congress reiterated their support for a landmark resolution this week, calling for an independence referendum for Eelam Tamils and recognising the genocide committed against them by the Sri Lankan state. Shortly after introducing the resolution and speeches on the Congress floor, members addressed an event at the Library of Congress. Over 100 Tamils from across the United States and around the world were in attendance to mark the occasion.