Tamil diaspora organisations denounce Mullivaikkal memorial destruction

by Sharmini
Jan 13, 2021

The original monument when it was unveiled in 2019

Tamil diaspora organisations from across the globe condemned the destruction of the Mullivaikkal memorial monument and expressed their solidarity with the protesters at Jaffna University. 

In a joint statement, the Australian Tamil Congress (ATC), British Tamils Forum (BTF), Irish Tamils Forum (ITC), Solidarity Group for Peace and Justice in Sri Lankan (SGPJ) and United States Tamil Action Group (USTAG) said; 

"We fear that this is an attempt by the Sri Lankan ethnocratic state to undermine the University of Jaffna as a cradle of Tamil history, heritage, culture, higher education, and political awareness.

Timing of this dastardly act also raises question whether this is a rebuff to the Indian Foreign Minister's assertion made during his recent vist to Sri Lanka that Sri Lanka should negotiate with the Tamil people a political solutions that meets their legitimate aspirations."

The groups called on the international community to take heed and "bring justice to the victim community" during the upcoming session at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). 

Read the full statement here. 

On January 8, a monument dedicated to the tens of thousands of Tamils killed in the genocidal offensive at the end of the armed conflict in 2009, was bulldozed by authorities, sparking outrage across the North-East and around the world. Jaffna university students launched a hunger strike in protest against the destruction and a hartal shut down the North-East on Monday.

Jaffna University Vice-Chancellor S Srisatkunarajah, has now promised to rebuild the monument despite initially slamming the demonstrations. However, the university students and wider Tamil community remain sceptical over the promises as he has implied that a 'peace monument' will be built in the place of the Mullivaikkal monument. 

 

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