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(Photos: Tamil Guardian) |
The massacre of thousands of Tamils at the hand of Sinhala mobs, known as Black July, was marked on its 32nd anniversary with a vigil outside Downing Street in London.
British Tamils gathered outside the prime minister's residence and lit candles in remembrance of those who died in 1983.
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The crowd was addressed by Mr P Sathiyaseelan, a long-standing activist and friend of many of those who lost their lives, including political detainees Kuddimani and Thangathurai, who were murdered in Welikada prison by Sinhala prisoners, during the violence which engulfed large parts of the south of the island.
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Recounting his experiences during the time of the riots, Mr Sathiyaseelan stressed the need for accountability for all crimes that occurred in the long-running conflict, including those of Black July, which saw government officials colluding with the mobs to hunt down Tamils in Colombo and other areas.
"Only an international tribunal can bring justice for the genocidal crimes that were committed, not only by the Rajapaksa-regime, but also by previous regimes," Mr Sathiyaseelan said.
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