In statement released on Monday, a coalition of Tamil diaspora youth organisations across the world, the Global Taml Youth League (T-League), condemned the attack on Paramalingam Tharsananth, the secretary of Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU).

Describing it as an "act of intimidation and violence", T-League said it was "an attempt to instill fear in students and silence their voices for justice", adding that the targeting remembrance events was "an attempt to extinguish the memory of the victims, and deny the ongoing genocide that is apparent today".

Standing in solidarity with Tamil youth in the North-East, the global coalition of youth organisations, pledged,

"We will never forget the victims of Mu'l'livaaykkaal, and must work tirelessly to bring justice to our brothers and sisters who have suffered, and continue to fall prey to violence at the hands of the Sri-Lankan Government."

The Global Tamil Youth League's member organisations include:  Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance, Canada (CTYA); Tamil Youth Network, Germany; Giovani Tamil, Italy; Tamil Youth Organisation, Norway (TYO-Norge); Tamil Youth Organisation, Switzerland (TYO-Swiss) and Tamil Youth Organisation, UK (TYO-UK); Voice of Tamils, Australia; Tamil Youth Organisation New Zealand (TYO-NZ), Tamil Youth Organisation Sweden (TYO-Sweden) and  Tamil Youth Organization USA (TYO-USA).

See also: UK Tamil university societies condemn Jaffna student attack (19 May 2012)

See here for report on TamilNet.

The full statement has been reproduced below:

Attacks on Tamil students must end immediately

21/05/12

Paramalingam Tharsananth, the Student Union Secretary of Jaffna University, was brutally attacked on Friday with iron-rods resulting in serious head injuries. The attack happened near a Sri-Lankan Army camp in Kaladdi, Jaffna while Tharsananth was on his way to the Jaffna University to address the Mu'l'livaaykkaal Remembrance Ceremony.

In May 2009, the Sri-Lankan Government slaughtered thousands of Tamil civilians in a genocidal program aimed at wiping out the Tamils and their identity. Thousands of Tamil civilians, young and elderly alike, were mercilessly and savagely beaten, abducted, killed and raped.

Tharsananth, along with the Jaffna University Student Union (JUSU), were vocal about the need and democratic right to observe Mu'l'livaaykkaal Remembrance – despite threats by the Sri-Lankan Military prohibiting such an event. Jaffna University students say the attack was carried out by Sri-Lankan Army forces as a consequence of Tharsananth’s role in organizing the ceremony.

The Global Tamil Youth League (T-League) strongly condemns this act of intimidation and violence. It was an attempt to instill fear in students and silence their voices for justice. The atrocities carried out against the Tamils in Mu'l'livaaykkaal is a reality and cannot be denied or forgotten. Targeting remembrance events such as this is an attempt to extinguish the memory of the victims, and deny the ongoing genocide that is apparent today.

The final stage of genocide is the destruction of memory, and as Tamil youth around the world, we cannot allow that to happen. We will never forget the victims of Mu'l'livaaykkaal, and must work tirelessly to bring justice to our brothers and sisters who have suffered, and continue to fall prey to violence at the hands of the Sri-Lankan Government.

T-League is a worldwide coalition of Tamil youth networks that work together with a common vision to reach, unite and empower Tamil youth to excel as leaders and architects of our nation. Member organizations include: Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance, Canada (CTYA); Tamil Youth Network, Germany; Giovani Tamil, Italy; Tamil Youth Organisation, Norway (TYO-Norge); Tamil Youth Organisation, Switzerland (TYO-Swiss) and Tamil Youth Organisation, UK (TYO-UK);  Voice of Tamils, Australia;Tamil Youth Organisation, New Zealand (TYO-NZ), Tamil Youth Organisation Sweden (TYO-Sweden) and  Tamil Youth Organization USA (TYO-USA).