The start of Tamil Genocide Remembrance week is being marked today across the North-East, one week before May 18, when the Tamil nation will mark 15 years since the Mullivaikkal genocide.
As part of the commemorations, Tamils in the North-East are boiling and serving kanji to honour the Tamils that were killed by Sri Lanka's armed forces in the massacre at Mullivaikkal.
Kanji - a porridge of rice and water - was the only food available to Tamils trapped in the Sri Lankan government declared 'No Fire Zones' as food, medicines and other necessities were heavily restricted from entering the Vanni during the final phase of the armed conflict.
The Sri Lankan government denied the delivery of food into the conflict zones, to use starvation as a weapon of war. Even as Tamils stood in long queues to get a bowl of kanji, the Sri Lankan military continued their daily bombardment, slaughtering many.
Jaffna
Tamils served kanji in Jaffna at a monument dedicated to the 11 Tamils that were killed by Sri Lankan police officers at the 1974 World Tamil Research Conference.
Kanji was also served to the public from a memorial float which will be travelling through Jaffna throughtout Tamil Genocide Remembrance week. The float is expected to travel through Thenmarachi, Vadamarachi, Koppay, Manipay, Nallur, Vaddukoddai, Velanai and Karainagar.
Vavuniya
Tamil families of the disappeared, former LTTE cadres, civil society activists were joined by residents of Vavuniya to pay tribute to the victims of the Mullivaikkal genocide.
Mullaitivu
Kanji was served to residents in Mulliyawalai, Mullaitivu.
Batticaloa
Civil society activists also served kanji in Chenkalady, Batticaloa.
