Preparations are underway at Mullivaikkal memorial yard ahead of May 18, also known as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, despite surveillance by Sri Lankan navy. Sri Lankan naval officers were seen in a van circling the memorial yard as Tamils put up red and yellow flags as part of the final preparation for tomorrow's commemoration event. May 18 will mark 15 years since the Tamil genocide where as many as 169,796 Tamils were slaughtered by Sri Lanka. Each year, the Tamil nation marks the day despite intimidation and surveillance by Sri Lanka. Earlier this week, Tamils in Trincomalee were...
Tamil lawmaker M A Sumanthiran called out the hypocrisy of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem in parliament this week, as the former Sri Lankan justice minister who lobbied against international accountability for the Tamil genocide, demanded his government cut ties with Israel over the “genocide in Gaza”. “We know what is like to have suffered this way, so we stand in solidarity,” the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) MP told the house, adding that members of parliament were being hypocritical when it comes to Tamil people and Palestinians.
A landmark resolution was introduced to the US Congress calling on the United States to work towards an independence referendum for Eelam Tamils and recognise the genocide committed against them by the Sri Lankan state. The resolution, introduced by Representative Wiley Nickel, is the first of its kind to be brought to the US Congress. It comes as Tamils marked 15 years since the Mullivaikkal genocide this week, with May 18 commemorated as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day worldwide. The resolution calls for the “nonrecurrence of past violence, including the Tamil Genocide, by supporting the...
Muttur Magistrate Court has rescinded a ban on the distrbution of kanji after Tamil and Muslim lawyers successfully called for the court order to be overturned. On Sunday, Sampur police officers threatened Tamils in Trincomalee with a court order which stated that kanji could do not distributed due to public health concerns. It also said that certain individuals were prohibited from participating in remembrance related activities but also stated that the order "applies to all people" and that they should not gather at schools or temples and vehicular protests cannot be carried out either...
Tamils in the North-East are marking the fifth day of Tamil Genocide Remembrance Week by distributing kanji to honour the victims of the massacre at Mullivaikkal. Over the last few days, Mullivaikkal kanji has been distributed in the lead-up to May 18, also known as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day. The sharing of kanji is an attempt by Tamils in the homeland and abroad to chronicle their struggles, understand their plight, and honour them in their deaths. Mannar Events were held in Nanattan and at the main bus stand in Mannar this morning, as Tamils gathered to commemorate Mullivaikkal through...
The Eastern University's student union has condemned the arrest of four Tamils in Trincolmalee and called for their immediate release. On Sunday, four Tamils - Kamaleswaran Themila, Kamaleswaran Vijitha, Kalirajah Sujani and the Tamil National People's Front Muttur organiser, Hariharakumar - were arrested for distributing kanji as part of commemorations to mark 15 years since the Tamil genocide. Video footage shows Sri Lankan police officers dragging some of the women during the arrest. "The rights of the Tamil people are being denied by the Sri Lankan government and there has not been any...
Three of my children were killed in an artillery attack on the same day at the same place. If they were alive today, the eldest son would be 20 years old, daughter would be 17 years old, and the youngest son would be 15 years old. With them, nine members of my family, including my mother-in-law, my husband’s 6-year-old sister, his younger brother, brother’s wife, their 6-year-old son and their 9-month-old daughter, were killed in that incident. Six of them were children.
Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) MP Selvarajah Kajendren called for the immediate arrest of two police officers whom he says are responsible for the death of 41-year-old Pradeepan Selvanayakam in Jaffna.
The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung is visiting Jaffna at a time when the Sri Lankan government has increased its crackdown on Mullivaikkal commemorations across the Tamil homeland. “This week I’m back in Jaffna to listen to diverse perspectives from civil society, youth, local officials and religious leaders to explore avenues for continued U.S. collaboration and support for Sri Lankans in the Northern Province,” she tweeted. This week I’m back in Jaffna to listen to diverse perspectives from civil society, youth, local officials and religious leaders to explore avenues for continued...
The 39th anniversary of the Kumuthini boat massacre was solemnly observed on Delft island today, as people gathered to remember the 36 Tamils who were killed by Sri Lankan naval officers. On May 15 1985, six plain-clothed Navy officers boarded the boat and pointed a gun at passengers before ordering them to come up to the main deck one by one and shout their name and destination. Each passenger was then hacked to death. The commemoration took place at a monument on Delft island that is dedicated to the victims. Religious observances were held at the St. Xavier Church and Veerapathra Pillaiyar...