Updated 01:00 BST 03/12/2012

Tamil university students from across the United Kingdom have released a joint statement criticising the intimidation which Jaffna University students faced in the days leading up to Maaveerar Naal and condemning the attacks on the student demonstration which followed.

In a statement released on Friday, Tamil Societies from 16 British universities joined with Tamil Youth Organisation UK to call for the international community to demand the release of the arrested students, condemning the "brazen attempts by Sri Lanka to deny the Tamil nation of this basic right, through intimidation, aggression and sheer violence."

See here for full press release.

Extracts reproduced below:

“It is unacceptable and reprehensible that any people or nation could be prevented by a government and its security forces from mourning and remembering its war dead. The recent events highlight more brazen attempts by Sri Lanka to deny the Tamil nation of this basic right, through intimidation, aggression and sheer violence.”

“The United Nations and the international community must recognise that Sri Lanka is showing no progress or even intention of respecting its democratic obligations. Instead Sri Lanka is further demonstrating utter disregard for the rights of Tamils on the island, as well as its intent to silence and punish any voice of dissent from the Tamil nation.”

Along with Tamil university societies and associations in the UK and Canada, a worldwide coalition of Tamil youth - the Global Tamil Youth League (T-League), condemned the attacks on Jaffna university students in a statement released on Thursday.

"The Global Tamil Youth League (T-League) strongly condemns this act of violence against the Jaffna University student’s freedom to protest and demonstrate, as well as their right to freely commemorate Tamil Remembrance Day. As fellow students and youth, we support and stand with our brothers and sisters in Jaffna in demanding that their rights be respected and their safety is ensured and accounted for. This attack follows other similar attacks by the Sri Lankan Military including the attack on Paramalingam Tharsananth, the Student Union Secretary of Jaffna University during the May Massacre Remembrance event, and the recent Trincomalee attack against students at the Eastern University of Sri Lanka."

A Sri Lanka Army officer, who fled to Canada, has revealed instances of Sri Lankan army abuse that occurred during Sri Lanka’s war against Tamils, reported the Canada's National Post.

Captain Ravindra Watundra Bandanage, left Sri Lanka in October 2009 and claimed asylum in Canada.

Three Tamil women who were part of the 109 recently paraded recruits into the Sri Lankan military have alleged they faced regular sexual assault by the Sinhalese soldiers, reported TamilCNN.

The three escaped from the military base, and described being forced into training from 4am till 10pm at night. Many other Tamil women also tried to escape, however they were caught, and have been locked up, accordng to the three escapees.

Photograph Uthayan

Teachers at the University of Jaffna, held a protest on Friday, to exhibit their solidarity with the students of the university, who were attacked by the Sri Lankan security forces for trying to commemorate Maaveerar Naal.

British Tamil students marked Maaveerar Naal at the university of Leicester on Wednesday. Lighting a lamp of sacrifice, and laying Gloriosa lillies, students remembered those who had given their lives to the struggle for Tamil Eelam.

The Embassy of the United States in Colombo has released a statement, expressing concern about recent acts of violence by government officials, including the attacks on Tamil students and the beating of a reporter on November 28.

The students were attacked during a demonstration against military harassment of Tamil youths commemorating the Tamil National Remembrance Day.

The US has called upon Sri Lankan authorities to “exercise restraint and respect peaceful demonstrations”.

Speaking to the press on the Sri Lankan military's and Sri Lankan police's attacks on Tamil university students, TNA MP Saravanbhavan said that what he saw was exactly what happened 30 years ago.

Stating that the Sri Lankan security forces inherently viewed Tamil university students as the enemy, Saravanabhavan said,

"The government should realise that so long as the army and the security forces view the Tamil people and especially the Tamil students as the enemy, reconciliation will not happen."