The Journalist Association for Social Change and Tamil Youths & Students Federation held a screening of the documentary ‘No Fire Zone: Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’, after the film was banned for theatrical release by Indian authorities for fear it may “strain relations” with Sri Lanka.

Over 300 students, journalists and youth activists attended the screening in Chennai.
Speaking to the Tamil Guardian, one of the organisers said,

“This is the first step we have started, and we are going to educate the rural and village people about the genocide happened in Sri Lanka with the help of this video. We will screen the video every possible places and we will spread the awareness to the Tamil Nadu people.”

Addressing the crowd via Skype, film director Callum Macrae spoke on issues such as the need for an international investigation, noting that justice cannot be expected from Sri Lankan courts. He went on to stress that the war against the Tamil people was still continuing on the ground.

Tamil Nadu journalist Maga Tamizh Prabhagaran also spoke to the Tamil Guardian about the ban placed on ‘No Fire Zone’, stating,

“The footage of the 2009 war shocked communities around the world and struck fear into those who helped in the bloody war against Eelam Tamils.”

He went on to add,

“Still Sri Lanka is conducting a war in the name of peace and continuing a structural genocide, grabbing the lands of Tamils. India encourages this brutality, giving funds in the name of “resettlement”. From the IPKF period until now, India’s policy has always been totally against the Tamil people.”

“These policies and their part in the war in 2009 has led to them banning ‘No Fire Zone’.”

“They say this is because it may strain ‘friendly relations’ with Sri Lanka. I want to ask where these ‘friendly relations were when Sri Lanka continues to kill over 700 Tamil Nadu fishermen?”