Today marks yet another year when Tamils across the island, and around the world, light candles, lay flowers and bow their heads to commemorate the massacres at Mullivaikkal. Eleven long years have now passed since the atrocities that marked the zenith of Sri Lanka’s genocide. Yet with no justice, no accountability and no political solution, the wounds of 2009 remain fresh.

After hearing a successful appeal from the TNPF (Tamil National People’s Front), the Jaffna magistrate has lifted the quarantine order against Gajen Ponnambalam, President of the TNPF, and 10 others.

This decision was reached after lawyers appealed quarantine orders which would have prevented party officials from observing Mullivaikkal remembrance events as they were ordered to remain in quarantine.

Marking 11 years since the Sri Lankan military onslaught that massacred tens of thousands of Tamils, we revisit the final days leading up to the 18^th of May 2009 – a date remembered around the world as ‘Tamil Genocide Day’. The total number of Tamil civilians killed during the final months is widely contested. After providing an initial death toll of 40,000, the UN found evidence suggesting that 70,000 were killed. Local census records indicate that at least 146,679 people are unaccounted for and presumed to have been killed.

Sri Lankan police stopped the former chief minister of the Northern Provincial Council from travelling to Mullivaikkal for a commemoration event this morning, as part of efforts by the state to halt remembrance events across the North-East.

C V Wigneswaran was on his way to Mullivaikkal when his vehicle was stopped at a Sri Lankan military checkpoint at Keratheevu, by the Sankupiddy bridge. The TMK party leader was questioned for 30 minutes before being told that he would not be allowed to travel to Mullivaikkal.

Special prayers were held in two temples in Vavuniya to mark the 11th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal massacres.

Former Tamil National Alliance Northern Provincial Council member, T Ravikaran, marked 11 years since the Mullivaikkal genocide by performing a flower tribute over the Nanthi Kadal Lagoon.

Ravikaran honoured the lives lost in the massacre, this morning on May 18^th.

Students once again lit lamps at the University of Jaffna this morning, in remembrance of the tens of thousands of victims of the Mullivaikkal massacres.

In the last week, students have faced constant intimidation from Sri Lankan police for lighting lamps and holding vigils to mark Tamil Genocide week.

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Despite efforts by Sri Lankan authorities to halt remembrance efforts today, Tamils across the North-East lit flames and laid flowers to commemorate the tens of thousands who were massacred by the Sri Lankan state eleven years ago.

Tamil political organisation, Tamil Solidarity, held a webinar called “Mullivaikkal Day 2020” to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal massacre.

The webinar took place on May 17^th at 5PM GMT and discussed; the social, political and economic consequences of COVID-19; the Sri Lankan government’s continued efforts to oppress minorities; importance of working class Tamils and ways in which Tamil speaking people can organise to help with the struggle in Sri Lanka and the UK.

As we near 11 years since the Mullivaikkal Tamil genocide, we are still searching for our family members, families of the disappeared in the North and East, said in a statement.

“May 18 marks another dark day in the lives of Tamil people. This day memorialises the Sri Lankan state’s long history of ethnic cleansing, during the war.

It is an emotional day that Tamils all over the world mourn; it is a day of defiance and grief. A day where the Sri Lanka government and army opposed Tamil rights and unleashed outrageous acts of human rights violations against Tamils.