The North-East Bishops' Council has called on the Tamil community to mark May 18th, also known as Tamil Genocide Day, as a "day of remembrance and prayer."
"The survivors and witnesses of the last phase of war and the preceding decades, mourn over their departed, who without paying the last rights hurriedly buried their loved ones. The Day dedicated prompts that the victims have the right to remembrance," the Council wrote in a statement.
See the full statement below:
May 18th will mark twelve years since the end of the genocidal military offensive, where tens of thousands of Tamils were killed by the Sri Lankan army in the final days of the armed conflict.
As Tamils across the North-East begin to prepare for remembrance events this week, Sri Lankan security forces have stepped up their surveillance and intimidation of Tamils, in attempt to block the commemoration of the massacre.
