Another military parade to mark Sri Lankan ‘independence’

Sri Lanka marked its 77th ‘Independence Day’ with yet another military parade in Colombo, featuring a reduced but still significant presence of military personnel and 25-gun salute at sea. 

While the government celebrated the day with pomp and ceremony, Tamils across the North-East and the diaspora observed the occasion as a "black day," raising black flags in protest against decades of oppression and atrocities perpetrated by the Sri Lankan state.

A total of 1,873 military personnel participated in this year’s parade in Colombo, a reduction from previous years. However, the event retained its spectacle, with the Sri Lanka Navy conducting a 25-gun salute and the Sri Lanka Air Force contributing a scaled-down display of just three aircraft, compared to the 19 seen last year. For the first time, armoured vehicles were absent from the parade, as the government opted for what it described as a "dignified yet restrained" celebration.

The Sri Lankan military, which played a central role in the celebrations, has long been implicated in widespread atrocities, particularly during the final stages of the armed conflict in 2009. Tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed, and the very same weaponry displayed in parades has been used to commit genocide, war crimes and enforce the ongoing military occupation of the Tamil homeland.

Sri Lankan Police spokesman SSP Buddhika Manatunga confirmed that more than 1,000 police officers were deployed to ensure security during the event, highlighting the state’s reliance on militarised policing even during commemorative occasions.

“Today is a day to honour all the valiant heroes who rendered immense sacrifices to render this day possible,” said Dissanayake in his address. “Moreover, even after 1948, as we carried forward the mantle bestowed upon us to realise complete freedom, additional courageous souls have traversed arduous paths in pursuit of our liberation. We have journeyed far to reach this moment of celebrating our 77th anniversary of independence, having borne that baton through the passage of time, including the pivotal year 1972, when we attained full political sovereignty under a constitutional crown. In that journey, we have arrived at this day, forged by the blood and sweat of thousands of gallant people, both celebrated heroes and heroines as well as the unsung ones, who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. We hereby pay our homage to all of them in this moment.”

While the parade unfolded in Colombo, Tamils across the North-East and the diaspora marked the day as a “black day.” Black flags were raised to symbolise mourning and protest. For Tamils, Sri Lanka’s independence has meant decades of systemic discrimination, state-sponsored violence, and military occupation.
 

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