Thousands of Tamils gathered in Mullaivaikkal, Sri Lanka, on May 18 to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Mullivaikal Massacre, which occurred during the final stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War in May 2009. The Tamil community worldwide, including in the UK and Canada, observed Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, honoring the tens of thousands of Tamil people who were killed. Prominent figures, including UK Labour members and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, expressed solidarity with the Tamil community and called for justice and accountability for the atrocities committed. Despite the passage of 15 years, many believe that Sri Lanka has not been held accountable for the violence, and Tamil students attempting to commemorate the event faced harassment. Labour reiterated its commitment to justice and accountability, emphasizing that 15 years on, the need for addressing these atrocities remains critical.
Today marks the 15th anniversary of the Mullivaikal Massacre, known as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day. I stand with Tamils all over the world as they remember the victims and survivors of the state-sponsored Tamil genocide during the final stages of the armed conflict in 2009.
Today, we honour the victims and survivors of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka – and their loved ones, who live with the lasting pain caused by this senseless violence. Read Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement on Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day: https://t.co/24CRVJRZQb
On Mullivaikal Remembrance Day, we mourn the loss of the tens of thousands of Tamil people killed during the final stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War. We must recommit to securing justice for the families of the deceased and prosecuting the perpetrators of this horrific violence.
On Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, we remember the thousands of people who were massacred & disappeared by the Sri Lankan state. Today & forever— I stand in solidarity with the Tamil community in seeking justice for these atrocities. You deserve peace, justice & accountability.
Tamil students trying to commemorate 15 years since the end of the war in Sri Lanka are harassed. So little has changed in all these decades. https://t.co/GpIwsOGtvx
I know that today will be a painful one for so many Tamil people in my community, across our country and throughout the world. Today we remember the victims of one of the darkest moments in the Sri Lankan War and re-commit ourselves to the pursuit of justice. https://t.co/FJnm5mlPq9
On the 15th Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day, Labour commemorates the tens of thousands of Tamil people who were killed in the final stages of the Sri Lankan War. We will always stand up for justice and accountability. https://t.co/uTRiN9kRkR
Thank you @georgegalloway for standing up for the Tamil community. On the 15th anniversary of the tragic events that unfolded in 2009 during the final stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War, we take a solemn moment to remember and honor the lives lost and the communities… https://t.co/P2FJ0h5C8F
Today, the Tamil community in the UK and across the world remember the genocide against Tamils in 2009. 15 years on, Sri Lanka still has not been held accountable for these atrocities. I stand in solidarity with the Tamil people. https://t.co/8tUc6BLRYh
Thousands of Tamils on May 18 converged in Mullaivaikkal, along Sri Lanka’s north-eastern coast, to pay homage to their relatives killed in May 2009, in the final battle of the island’s protracted civil war. @Meerasrini reports. https://t.co/xOWBQgjG8j
On Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day, we commemorate the tens of thousands of Tamil people who were killed in the final stages of the Sri Lankan War. https://t.co/jqC51WDM5Q
The recent arrest of four Tamils in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province — when they commemorated their loved ones killed in the final phases of the civil war in 2009 — has put Tamils’ right to memorialise in sharp focus yet again. @Meerasrini reports. https://t.co/rDjCqVbCB5