Tamils in Jaffna marked the 50th anniversary of the historic Vaddukoddai Resolution, which continues to be a pivotal declaration in the Tamil struggle for self-determination. 

The 'Vaddukoddai 50 Uprising Conference' was held at Meikandan Maha Vidyalayam, Pannagam, Vaddukoddai to remember the passing of the resolution that called for an independent state of Tamil Eelam.

A Tamil genocide remembrance event was held in Nanattan, Mannar on Thursday (14 May), marking the third day of commemorations taking place across the Tamil homeland ahead of Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day.

The event was organised by the Mannar branch of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) and took place at approximately 10:30 a.m. in the Nanattan area.

Memorial events honouring veteran Tamil singer Thenisai Sellappa were held in France and Switzerland earlier this month, as members of the Tamil diaspora gathered to commemorate his enduring legacy and contribution to Tamil national consciousness through music, poetry and performance.

The United Kingdom’s All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Tamils has said it looks forward to working closely with the newly elected Tamil Nadu government to “advance political rights based on the legitimate aspirations of Eelam Tamils”, in a congratulatory letter sent to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.

Fifty years after the Vaddukoddai Resolution formally articulated the Tamil demand for self-determination, political representatives, civil society actors and diaspora organisations gathered at the UK Parliament on Thursday to launch a new initiative aimed at forging a unified political framework for the Tamil nation.

The event brought together lawmakers, academics, religious leaders and activists from across the British Tamil diaspora, as well as homeland representatives.

Sri Lanka’s United National Party (UNP) has questioned Anura Kumara Dissanayake over his congratulatory message to newly elected Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, claiming the move raised concerns regarding diplomatic protocol.

According to Sri Lankan media reports, the UNP stated that it was “surprised” that the Sri Lankan president had extended personal congratulations to the chief minister of an Indian state.

A coalition of prominent Tamil organisations based in the United States has issued a joint statement calling for an internationally organised and monitored referendum on Tamil Eelam, marking the 50th anniversary of the historic Vaddukoddai Resolution.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the historic Vaddukoddai Resolution,  a landmark declaration calling for the political independence of the Tamil nation.

The Vaddukoddai Resolution, spearheaded by SJV Chelvanayakam, was adopted by the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) on May 14, 1976. It remains a cornerstone of the Tamil for self-determination in Sri Lanka, concluding that an independent state of Tamil Eelam was needed to safeguard the very existence of the Tamil nation in Sri Lanka. 

Tamil families of the disappeared prepared and served Mullivaikkal Kanji in Mullaitivu yesterday to mark the beginning of Tamil Genocide Remembrance Week. 

Every year, Tamils in the North-East and diaspora serve kanji as a reminder of the suffering that Tamils faced during the final phase of the armed conflict. A simple porridge of rice, water and salt was all that was available to Tamil people trapped in the No Fire Zones. 

Commemorations marking the second day of Tamil Genocide Remembrance Week were held in the North-East on Wednesday (May 13), with events taking place in both Batticaloa and Jaffna. 

In Batticaloa, a remembrance event was organised at the Mahiladitheevu massacre memorial in Kokkaddichcholai under the arrangement of the Homeland Task Force.