Marking Maaveerar Naal, Australian MP, Hugh McDermott, expressed his solidarity with the Tamil community as those in the North East faced a brutal crackdown on memorialisation events.
"I stand with our Tamil community and support the right of Tamil people to mourn their deceased loved ones and families. I am proud to be a friend of the Tamil community in Australia and am determined to continue representing our Tamil community here in Australia and overseas, to ensure reconciliation, justice and dignity is delivered to the Tamil people".
McDermott further highlighted that the purpose of Maaveerar Naal was to "remember the Tamil victims who lost their lives during the struggle for self-determination of Tamils in Sri Lanka".
In his statement, he noted that following the recapture of Jaffna by the Sri Lankan military in 1995; "many cemeteries were destroyed, including in those at Velanai-Chaaddi and Kopay".
"After a mediation process in 2002, the Tamil community began rebuilding their cemeteries and Maaveerar Naal commemorations were allowed in government territory. However, tragically, following the end of the civil war in May 2009, the Sri Lankan Government ruined all attempts at commemorating Maaveerar Naal and destroyed the remaining cemeteries" he added.
McDermot went on to highlight that this decision has been overturned and Maaveerar Naal is permitted in Sri Lanka but is perpetually under by the Sri Lankan government.
The full statement is available below:
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