Preparations are currently underway at Mullivaikkal, the site of the massacres of tens of thousands of Tamils in 2009, as the homeland prepares to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Tamil genocide.
Tamil men, women, youth, and the elderly all volunteered to help clean the area where a memorial has been constructed, to help prepare for a remembrance ceremony to be held on May 18.
“Mullivaikkal is not only a symbol of sacrifice, but of hope and the resistance to all forms of oppression,” said Thavathiru Agathiyar Adikalar, a Hindu priest who was one of the volunteers.
“We mark 15 years since the end of the genocide. But Eelam Tamils will continue to pursue their liberation and fight for it.”
Over 169,000 Tamils were killed during the final phase of the armed conflict, as the Sri Lankan military launched an offensive that bombed hospitals, deployed sexual violence and executed surrendering Tamils. To date, no one has been held accountable for the crimes committed.