With Tamils across the North-East mourning the tens of thousands killed by the Sri Lankan military during the Mullivaikkal genocide, the Sri Lankan president instead took part in a ceremony to mark ‘War Heroes Commemoration Month’.
Ranil Wickremesinghe was photographed alongside several military officials, including current defence secretary Kamal Gunaratne who stands accused of war crimes, as the ‘the National War Heroes Flag’ was pinned to his chest.
Sri Lanka’s President Media Division said. That month is a “solemn tribute to the valiant soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of the nation’s territorial integrity”.
It also highlighted how Sri Lanka soldiers had been killed or injured in “the on-going struggle against terrorism”.
“The month of May is officially designated as ‘War Heroes Commemoration Month’, serving as a solemn tribute to the valiant soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of the nation’s territorial integrity. A considerable number of servicemen from the tri-forces made the ultimate sacrifice for the country, while an equivalent number suffered injuries in the on-going struggle against terrorism,” the President Media Division said.
During the final military offensive in May 2009, tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed, largely by Sri Lankan government shelling. Hospitals were bombed, food and medicine embargoed and extrajudicial killings documented. Tamils around the world mark the occasion as a month of mourning.
During the final military offensive in May 2009, tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed, largely by Sri Lankan government shelling. Hospitals were bombed, food and medicine embargoed, and extrajudicial killings documented.
Tamils around the world mark the occasion as a month of mourning, with the Canadian parliament officially recognising May 18th as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day.
No such recognition of the genocide, or accountability for the atrocities, has taken place by the Sri Lankan state.
