All photographs courtesy of Kumanan Kanapathipillai Thousands of Tamils gathered at Mullivaikkal memorial yard to mourn their loved ones who were massacred in Sri Lanka's military offensive in 2009.
Writing on the anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, Madura Rasaratnam, Interim Executive Director of PEARL & Ambikai Akilan, Advocacy Officer of PEARL, detail hold Sri Lanka accountable for the war crimes committed in 2009 continues to afflict the island and provides a useful lesson for the Israel-Gaza conflict. In their piece, they reflect on 2009 massacres and the similarities with current conflict in Gaza. Sri Lanka is accused of a litany of war crimes during this period which includes the deliberate targeting of “no fire zones”, food distribution centres and hospitals. The...
A rally, organised by the Tamil Refugee Council, took place in Sydney Australia to mark 15 years since the Tamil genocide. The rally ended outside Sydney Town Hall where a series of speakers spoke about the 2009 genocide in Mullivaikkal. Amongst the speakers was Nila, a Mullivaikkal survivor. Nila, who was only 9 years old, recounted the tragic events in 2009. Senator David Shoebridge also spoke at the rally and called for justice for the massacres at Mullivaikkal. See more photographs from the rally below:
Tamils distrbuted kanji outside Trincomalee Uvarmalai Vidu Vinayagar temple to mark 15 years since the genocide at Mullivaikkal.
The Sri Lankan military has promoted nearly 4,500 military personnel as Tamils in the North-East nation mourned the massacres of tens of thousands of Tamil by the same armed forces this week. The Sri Lanka Navy promoted 3,146 senior and junior sailors from the Regular and Voluntary Forces while the army announced the promotion of 1,509 personnel, as Colombo marked what was known as ‘Victory Day’ until 2015. Sri Lanka now calls it National War Heroes Commemoration Day and it is dedicated to the Sri Lankan military. The promotions have been approved by Sri Lanka’s Secretary to the Ministry of...
On the anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, Sri Lanka’s opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa, has issued a statement criticising the government for failing their “war heroes”. In his statement, Premadasa noted hundreds of former Sri Lankan soldiers have left to for and against the Russian army on the front lines in Ukraine, amidst Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. Sri Lanka economic development has been marred by a militarisation that has corroded Sri Lanka’s civil society. Over 30 agencies are under the remit of the Ministry of Defence. The military oversees a litany of operations, including...
Thousands of Tamils gathered in London on Saturday to mark the 15th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, a somber occasion remembering the tragic events that transpired in May 2009. The events called for justice and the recognition of Eelam Tamil self-determination, with a significant turnout demonstrating the ongoing demand for accountability and recognition of the atrocities faced by the Tamil community. A rally organised by Tamil Coordinating Committee UK (TCC UK) and Tamil Youth Organisation UK (TYO UK) saw Tamils march from London’s Parliament Square towards Downing Street, the...
As Tamils around the world marked Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, the British High Commission and Swiss Ambassador in Colombo released statements reiterating support for “truth and justice”. 15 years on, we remember those who died and disappeared during the conflict in Sri Lanka, including families still searching for their loved ones. Reconciliation is possible only when meaningful progress is made on truth and justice, and the right to remember is respected. — UK in Sri Lanka (@UKinSriLanka) May 18, 2024 “15 years on, we remember those who died and disappeared during the conflict in Sri...
The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka sent out a tweet stating her government “stands in solidarity with all Sri Lankans” as Tamils around the world marked Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, commemorating the tens of thousands massacred by the Sri Lankan state 15 years ago. Julie Chung said the US government is “reflecting on the resilience and hope for a united future”.
Tamils held a remembrance event in Zurich and Bern to mark 15 years since the Tamil genocide at the shores of Mullivaikkal. 500 people attended the remembrance event at the Helvetiaplatz, where Tamil activists and Mullivaikkal survivors spoke about their experiences and the future of the Tamil struggle. 15 years ago, Eelam Tamils in Switzerland gathered at the same place to commemorate the Tamil genocide and vow to continue the Tamil struggle in the face of Sinhala Buddhist oppression. Fabian Molina MP, who attended the event in Zurich, said that there needs to be international accountability...