Swiss Tamils mark Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day in Bern

Tamils in Switzerland gathered in the heart of Bern on 18 May to mark the 16th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, with a powerful series of events organised by the Swiss Tamil Youth Organisation and the Swiss Tamil Coordination Committee.

The commemorations began at 3:00 PM at Europaplatz with a public remembrance ceremony, featuring the lighting of a communal flame, the hoisting of the Tamil Eelam national flag, and floral tributes in honour of the tens of thousands of Tamils massacred by the Sri Lankan state during the final stages of the armed conflict in 2009.

Members of the Tamil Youth Organisation conducted an awareness walk through the canton of Bern, distributing anti-racism pamphlets to passersby from various ethnic backgrounds, helping to raise awareness of the genocide and the ongoing plight of the Tamil people.

Throughout the event, speeches were delivered in Tamil, German, French, and Italian, reflecting the diversity and determination of the Tamil diaspora in Switzerland. A moving performance of by Sirila Sivadas accompanied the floral tributes.

The ceremony included contributions from priests of the Bern Shiva Temple, who delivered remarks in Tamil emphasising the cultural and spiritual identity of the Tamil nation. Following tradition, kanji was served to all participants, a symbolic gesture rooted in the hardships endured by Tamils during the final days in the Mullivaikkal No Fire Zone.

In a show of international solidarity, a Kurdish representative delivered a speech in both German and their native Kurdish language, pledging continued support for the Tamil Eelam cause and standing in unity against oppression.

The event concluded with a procession led by national activists carrying Tamil Eelam flags, closing the commemoration with a vow of continued resistance and remembrance.