• Sampur resident begins hunger-strike demanding Sri Lanka to return appropriated land

    May 18
    Thavarasa Premkumar, on Monday, declared a fast unto death in order to pressurise Sri Lanka’s government to hand over the appropriated lands of the displaced people of Sampur. 

    Photographs: Tamil Guardian

    Mr Premkumar’s demands were based on 3 requests listed below:

    -Requesting the Sir Lankan government to handover the lands of the Sampur people respecting their rights and solemnity to live a dignified life in their own lands.

    -Requesting the international community and the United Nations to pressurise the Sri Lanka government to take immediate measures to solve the burning issues of the Sampur community.

    -Requesting the Tamil diaspora to work in lines with the affected and desperate communities in the Northern Eastern region to safeguard and sustain their rights and entitlements.

  • Revisiting May 2009 - Civilians walk into SL camps after thousands killed in night of shelling, surrendering LTTE leadership killed, Tamils blockade Westminster

    18 May 2009 - Civilians walk into SL camps after thousands killed in night of shelling, surrendering LTTE leadership killed, Tamils blockade Westminster

    Photo: Tamil Guardian

    The Sri Lankan Army in its final onslaught killed thousands of civilians whilst the LTTE tried to negotiate a surrender mechanism throughout the night.

    A surrender deal was eventually agreed upon between the senior leadership of the LTTE, the Sri Lankan government, a UN official and the British embassy a report titled, ‘5 years on: The White Flag Incident’ and the UN Panel of Experts report found.

    Amnesty International in a statement called on the Sri Lankan government to allow full international access to monitor and aid those in need and “accept the surrender of any LTTE fighter and treat humanely LTTE fighters who have laid down their arms.”

    Pictures of dead senior LTTE leaders shown on Sri Lankan state television indicated that the Sri Lankan government broke the agreement and violated international law by executing them after surrendering. 


     

    The Sri Lankan government later that  day announced that LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran had been killed during an ambush.

    (The commander of the Sri Lankan Army, General Fonseka, in an interview months later, stated that the Defence Secretary had instructed the army to kill all surrendering LTTE leaders, says the UN Panel of Experts report on Sri Lanka.)

    The Asia Pacific Director of Amnesty International, Sam Zarifi, further called for an international Commission of Inquiry to "investigate allegations of international human rights and humanitarian law by all warring parties in the course of the conflict and make recommendations on the best way to ensure full accountability.”
  • May 18 remembrance in Mannar blocked by police

    An event organised to commemorate the Mullivaikkal massacres later today in Mannar has been banned by police.

    Organiser Mr Sivakaran told the Tamil Guardian a letter detailing the ban was delivered by police in the early hours of Monday.

    The remembrance event was due to be held in a hall in the town of Mannar.

  • Struggle for remembrance
    Illustration by Keera Ratnam


    May 18 is etched deep into the conscience of the Tamil nation. On this day Eelam Tamils across the world remember the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians and combatants that were killed in Sri Lanka’s armed conflict. On this day the nation stands together, mourning the lives lost and marking the end of the armed movement - the most significant chapter of the Tamil resistance struggle till then. Yet on this day, while Tamils mourn, the Sinhala south celebrates. The defeat of 'terrorism' by its armed forces who committed mass atrocities against the Tamil people, and the seeming victory of Sinhala nationalism over Tamil nationalism, is marked by jubilation. It is a day in which the divisions on the island are laid bare, even more than usual. Six years on, the evidence of mass atrocities committed by the Sri Lankan state is conclusive, with reports, including by the UN, finding these crimes occurred. This is expected to be reconfirmed by the OISL in September, when it is due to present the findings of its investigation.

  • Police intimidation at Batticaloa May 18 remembrance event

    May 18 commemorations in Vakarai

    (Photographs Tamil Guardian)

    Several police officers were stationed at a May 18 memorial event in Vakarai, Batticaloa, where Tamils had gathered to remember those that died in the armed conflict, which ended 6 years ago today.

    Tamil National People's Front General Secretary Kajendran Selvarajah, who was at the event said the police acted in a highly intimidating manner.

    "The people who attended today wanted to mourn those that died. However due to the presence of the police, who acted in a very intimidating way, our people were not able to show their emotions freely," he told the Tamil Guardian.

    Mr Selvarajah said the police officers collected personal details of those who attended the event, causing further distress.

  • Jaffna University remembers massacre of Tamils at end of Sri Lanka's armed conflict

    Jaffna University auditorium

    (Photographs Tamil Guardian)

    Hundreds of students attended a memorial event held at Jaffna University on Monday, marking the sixth year anniversary of the massacre of Tamils during the final stages of Sri Lanka's armed conflict.


    Holding candles in their hands, students filed into the Kailasabathi auditorium and paid their respects to those who had been killed.


    Whilst Sri Lankan police officers and military personnel were not seen on campus, there was an increased presence of intelligence officers in the surrounding area reported by students.

  • May 2009 massacre commemorated at Mullivaikkal despite ban by Sri Lankan authorities
    NPC Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran lights lamp of remembrance at Mullivaikkal. Photograph Tamil Guardian

    A remembrance event marking the six anniversary of the killing of tens of thousands of Tamils at the end of the armed conflict took place at the epicentre of the massacre, Mullivaikal, despite a ban issued by Sri Lankan authorities prohibiting public rallies.

    Photograph Mayurapriyan

    Many who travelled to the event had their vehicles stopped by Sri Lankan police officers and were questioned regarding their movements.

    Photograph Shalin

    Photograph Mayurapriyan

  • Prayers held at Keerimalai temple to remember Mullivaikkal dead
    Photographs Tamil Guardian


    Prayers were held at the Keerimalai temple on Monday morning remembering the tens of thousands who were slaughtered at the end of the Sri Lanka's armed conflict six years on.

  • Northern councillor marks Mullivaikkal at Nanthi Kadal despite ban
    Photographs Tamil Guardian


    The Northern Provincial councillor, T Ravikaran, on Monday remembered the slaughter of Tamils at the Nanthi Kadal lagoon in Mullaitivu during the final days of Sri Lanka's armed conflict, despite police issuing an order prohibiting him from holding remembrance rallies in the district.

  • Forces of racism still exist in Sri Lanka says GTF president
    The forces of racism, extremism and selfishness are still at work in Sri Lanka, said the president of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), Father SJ Emmanuael.
  • May 2009 killings remembered in Mannar amid Sri Lankan court order banning planned event
    Photographs Tamil Guardian

    The mass killing of tens of thousands of Tamils during the final stages of Sri Lanka's armed conflict was remembered today in Mannar, despite a district court order preventing the event from taking place at the town hall as was previously arranged. 



  • List of 110 disappeared placed in Sri Lanka’s military custody released by ITJP

    The International Truth and Justice Project - Sri Lanka (ITJP), on Monday, released a list of the names of 110 people that were seen surrendering to Sri Lanka’s military on May 18 2009 by eyewitnesses who have fled the country.

  • International community needed to secure justice and political solution for Tamils - CV Wigneswaran
    The international community must ensure justice for war crimes, provide a political settlement for Tamils and investigate claims of genocide against the Tamil people, said the Northern Provincial Council Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran in a statement read out at Monday's remembrance event in Mullivaikkal.

    "We are obliged to remember those who passed away during the war. It cannot be denied that the said sad incident laid the foundation for the International Community to become aware of our predicament and this delineated our future political course,

    "Six years have passed. Proper particulars of those who passed away during the said period are still to be ascertained. A transparent and honest mechanism to inquire into and report as to the identity of the perpetrators is still to be put into place. All this has created much heartache among the Tamil people," he said.

  • Uthayan holds Mullivaikkal remembrance event

    (Photos: @UthayanPrint)
     

    Staff at the Uthayan newspaper held an event remembering those that lost their lives in the last phase of the conflict at their office in Jaffna.

  • May 18 remembrance held in Trincomalee

    (All photos: Tamil Guardian)

    A memorial event for the Tamils that died in the last phase of the conflict was held in Trincomalee town.

    The event, led by the Bishop of Trincomalee, was attended by members of the Christian and Hindu clergy.

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