As Tamil people, politicians and civil society remember and pay tribute to the victims of the Mullivaikkal massacre on its twelfth anniversary, local Tamil governments including divisional secretariats and municipal councils also hold vigils in memory of the massacre.
Jaffna Municipal Council
The Jaffna Municipal Council held a vigil remembering the victims of Mullivaikal with Mayor V.Manivannan leading the proceedings.
Council officials including Deputy Mayor Thurairajah Eesan were present in the memorial vigil and they each lit a flame on a lamp in remembrance of the carnage.
Speaking to the press following the event, Mayor Manivannan said, “A real tribute to those who died would be for us to bring justice for their loss. We shall resolve to endeavour relentlessly until we get justice.”
Valikamam East Divisional Secretariat
A memorial flame was also lit in the Valikamam East Divisional Secretariat memorialising the victims. Secretariat officials observed COVID-19 restrictions and social-distancing measures as they conducted the commemoration.
In light of the fact that no justice has been secured even after 12 years have passed since the massacre, Secretariat chairperson Thyagaraja Nirosh and other attendees observed twelve minutes of silence before lighting a flame to the lamp.
Red and yellow flags were placed around the lamp as officials commemorated the victims of Mullivaikkal.
In another instance, former Karaithuraipattu Divisional Secretary Kangaiya Thavarasa was presented with a court order banning him from commemorating Mullivaikal while he was paying tribute to the victims at his home.
Mulliyawalai Police entered his house and gave Thavarasa the order whilst he was lighting a flame to the memorial lamp. The following pictures show the ban order given to Thavarasa. Similar orders were given to a number of other Tamil politicians and activists.
