Members of the Mahasen Balakaya Sinhalese nationalist group raised a Sinhala flag in Killionochchi on May 18, a day when Tamils were remembering the Mullivaikkaal massacres.

Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena pledged the government towards “strengthening the Tri-forces to fulfil its responsibility for national security,” whilst addressing a ‘war heroes’ commemoration event.

A police summons that was issued for Tamil civil society activist Father Elil over his involvement in organising a Mullivaikkaal memorial event was issued today and reversed hours later, following domestic and international pressure on Sri Lankan authorities.

Eight Tamils in Vavuniya were fired by their Southern company for paying tribute to Mullivaikkaal victims on May 18.

The employees of a private motor company had paid tribute after work using the photos of one of their mothers, Rajalakshmi Sivalingam of Puthukudiyirippu, who had been killed in the final stages of the war.

A Sinhalese superior in the company discovered the memorial had taken place and fired the eight with immediate effect, as well as reporting them to the police for investigation.

Tamil genocide day was marked by TNPF members in Vakarai, Batticaloa on Thursday. Gathering on the banks of the lagoon, the participants lit flames and paid tribute to the tens of thousands massacred by the Sri Lankan state in the final stages of the war.

British Tamil students gathered at City University to commemorate those that died in the final stages of the armed ethnic conflict.

Hundreds of people attended a memorial event organised by Tamil civil society marking 8 years since the slaughter of thousands at Mullivaikkaal, after a court order banning the event was varied earlier in the day.

A Mullivaikkaal remembrance event took place yesterday in front of Puliyankulam Vairavar Kovil in Trincomalee.

Kilinochchi police requested the assistance of the army and the Special Task Force (STF) in Palai, after shots were fired at a police vehicle while driving in a forested area in the Arasakeni Kachcharu area.

The Ilankai Tamil Arisai Katchi (ITAK) held Mullivaikkaal memorial services at their offices in Jaffna.