Tamil parliamentarians signed a letter on Tuesday, urging the United Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to acknowledge the destruction of the Mullivaikkal monument. The letter, which was signed by over 10 cross-party MPs, described the destruction of the monument by the Sri Lankan armed forces as “nothing but shameful”.

The monument destruction is the latest move by the Sri Lankan state that adds to the ongoing human rights violations against Tamils, but the letter maintains that “such a crude act may smash the monument materialistically to pieces but will not blind the dedication and respect that will continue to be dedicated to those killed in Mullivaikkal and […] the rest of the North-East. Although the Sri Lankan army denied responsibility for the destruction, boot prints were left at the site after they cordoned off the area.

Acknowledging the collective grief, despair and anger on behalf of Tamil people, the letter notes May 18 (Tamil Genocide Day) as a day reserved for silent reminiscing and prayers for the “barbaric and uncivilised violence […] against 40-60,000 innocent Tamils” by the Sri Lankan military between April and May 2009. While the destruction of the monument was described to be carried out to erase this memory, the MPs asserted that “no army in the world, no destructive weapons in the world can destroy the memory of the innocent children, adults and elderly who were slaughtered with intent.”

The letter added,

“The Tamils world[wide] will continue to remember this day generation after generation, to observe silence and offer prayers for these innocent souls to rest in peace. This will continue to be a day not for revenge or vindictiveness, but one of quiet contemplation, despite the ongoing jingoistic outlook of those who currently govern Sri Lanka”

Following the incident, the MPs insisted that the UNHRC records the destruction recorded alongside the “ongoing incidents of violations of human rights, land-grab, discrimination and detaining innocent Tamil people” passed on the recent UN resolution.

Read the full letter here.

Tamil diaspora organisations were among those who also condemned the destruction and have urged the international community to address the issue and “condemn the inhumane acts of elements associated with the Sri Lanka military and urge the Government of Sri Lanka to respect the right to memorialise.”

Tamil MPs expressed frustration and concern this week, that Tamils right to memorial and commemoration is constantly being denied. Commemoration events were also heavily scrutinised, even when carried out from home, highlighting the Sri Lankan state’s heavy intimidation and intrusion to the right to remembrance. Earlier this year, Sri Lankan authorities destroyed the Mullivaikkal memorial at Jaffna University.