With ongoing protests in Thoothukudi, telecommunication companies have received orders from the Chief Secretary to halt data services in the Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts in Tamil Nadu.  

The protests started months ago in an attempt to have Sterlite Industries’ copper plant shut down due to pollution and health concerns.

Most recently, tensions have escalated as 13 people were killed and many others injured after Tamil Nadu police opened fire at protestors.

Several British MPs and other politicians have released messages of solidarity as the Tamil nation around the world marks Tamil Genocide Remembrance day today.

See some of their messages of support below.

Stephen Timms Member of Parliament for Eastham, Executive Member of APPGT

Despite years of suppressing memorial events when it was in government, the Sri Lankan Freedom Party held an event to commemorate Tamils killed during the massacres at Mullivaikkal 9 years ago.

The event, which was met with scepticism by local Tamils, was held at the party office in Jaffna on Friday. Party officials lit candles before a banner which read “Mullivaikkal Atrocity Remembrance Day”.

The Sri Lankan military stationed in Kilinochchi held military and religious ceremonies on May 18^th “to invoke blessings upon the soldiers,” according to an official military website.

The Tamil National Alliance commemorated the 9^th anniversary since the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamils, in a ceremony at its office in Jaffna on Friday.

The Sri Lankan navy plans to acquire a further 18 acres of land in J/07 Grama Sevaha Division, Mandaitivu in order to build a camp for the Velusumana Navy Division. 

A notice declaring the planned acquisition was seen by residents on the island. 

Families in Sampur have reiterated their calls on the Sri Lankan navy to release their land after navy officers were seen planting coconut trees in the area earlier this month. 

Writing to the Trincomalee District Secretariat, the Eastern Province's governor and the Sri Lankan president, displaced families have urged action. 

Sri Lanka's National University Teachers' Association (NUTA) on Tuesday filed a complaint against Jaffna University authorities for allowing students to take part in Mullivaikkal remembrance events on May 18. 

Accusing the students of "acting like the unofficial private army" of the chief minister of the Northern Province, the NUTA secretary, Channa Jayasumana said the students, whom he described as "misguided youths", should be "thankful to their political leadership and Sri Lankan forces that ended the armed conflict". 

Nine people were killed and 65 injured on Tuesday in Tamil Nadu after police opened fire at protesters in Thoothukudi, who had been seeking a ban on Sterlite Industries' copper plant. 

The protesters, who launched their protest many months ago, accuse Sterlite Industries of releasing pollutants from its plants and have been demanding the plant be closed. 

A judicial inquiry has been ordered into the incident by Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami 

The ruling AIADMK government has been widely criticised for the incident. 

Rahul Gandhi said the police's actions were "state sponsored terrorism". 

Sri Lanka’s president awarded honours to 50 senior military officers, included those accused of war crimes in a lavish ceremony in Colombo this weekend.