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Tamils in Trincomalee remembered the victims of the Thiriyai massacre in which 12 Tamils were shot by Sri Lanka's security forces 39 years ago and called for the perpertrators to be held accountable.
The families marked the massacre with a memorial, prayers, and floral tributes.
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On August 5, 1985 homes were set on fire and destroyed by Sri Lankan soldiers in Trincomalee. As a result, many of the families fled, finding refuge in the Thiriya Tamil Maha Vidyalaya. 5 days later on August 10, 12 Tamils were taken away on a bus belonging to the Sri Lanka Transport Board. The Sri Lankan security forces detained the Tamils at Kajuwatta, stripped them naked, tied their hands, and shot them at point blank.
In a letter to Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe, the families of the victims wrote:
"On this day of 09th August 2024, we would like to remember that we, the people of Thiriyai village, were subjected to many acts of violence and harassment by the Sri Lankan Security Forces during the period of ethnic conflict and in the present situation and in the midst of threats from the Intelligence Unit, we are in a state of denial of justice in the name of archeology and loss of their lands as well."
The families called on Wickremesinghe to ensure that justice is delivered to these families, who continue to mourn their dead. In their letter, they mentioned to him that the first and most important step he could take was to acknowledge the war crimes that were committed during the war.
They also called for greater accountability to ensure that those responsible are held accountable. This they said may involve legal action and processes, however, such processes are vital to ensure transparency. They also called on him to provide psychological support in the form of counseling and support systems to deal with the trauma.
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