In a statement released yesterday, Sri Lanka’s commander of the Army Mahesh Senanayake payed tribute to “War heroes who defended the motherland” and “rescued thousands of innocent Tamil civilians,” whilst “protecting the country’s unitary status.”

Lieutenant General Senenayake outlined the launch of a “special programme” to commemorate Sri Lanka’s armed force that “sacrificed their tomorrow.. defending the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unitary status of Sri Lanka.”

He added, 

"Nine years have passed by 19 May 2018 since the eradication of terrorism from our soil."

The Army Commander's statement concluded, 

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena expressed his “deepest gratitude” to the military today, whilst the former president praised the end of “terrorism”.

?Mr Sirisena tweeted,

“I express my deepest gratitude to all Sri Lankan war heroes on this National War Heroes Commemoration Day.”

Previously the Sirisena government had said the day would be renamed a “day of remembrance”, rather than to commemorate Sri Lankan troops.

Meanwhile former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapapksa, who oversaw the Sri Lankan military offensive in 2009, tweeted,

A Sri Lankan cabinet minister declared it was against “the law of the land” to remember “dead terrorists” in a press conference with journalists on Thursday.

Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told reporters that,

“The LTTE terror campaign also challenged the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country. Therefore, our armed forces did not have any other option but to crush the terror campaign using its full might.”

Students and staff at the University of Jaffna and Eastern University held remembrance events today marking the 9th anniversary of the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamils by Sri Lankan armed forces at the end of the conflict in 2009.

Temple prayers were organised in Batticaloa today to remember the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamils by Sri Lankan state forces in 2009. 

Families in Koralaipedu, Batticaloa held a special poosai at Kinnaiyadi Vaavikkarai whilst in Kiraan, the Tamil National Alliance organised at the local Sri Vishnu temple, where TNA MPs and party members participated.

Kinnaiyadi Vaavikkarai, Batticaloa 

Tamil media sites and newspapers today marked the 9th anniversary of the genocide of Tamils at the end of the armed conflict with special tributes and posts on their websites and frontpages. 

Local residents and members of the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) marked Tamil Genocide Day today in Vaaharai, Batticaloa.

Remembering the tens of thousands slaughtered by Sri Lanka's state forces, those gathered lit a lamp by the river side and scattered flowers into its waters. 

^{Students at Vembadi Girls School, Jaffna}

Students across the North-East held a minute silence at 11am local time today in memory of the tens of thousands who were killed by Sri Lankan armed forces in the final stages of the conflict in 2009. 

At precisely 11am students and staff stood in silence to remember. 

Addressing crowds gathered at the Tamil genocide remembrance event in Mullivaikkal memorial ground today, the chief minister of the Northern Province called on the international community to set up without delay international strategic mechanism to ensure justice. 

Declaring May 18 as 'Tamil Genocide Day', Mr Wigneswaran said, "as a group of people who have faced institutional genocide, the international community must come forward to assure us a sustainable political settlement based on our sovereignty, our homelands and our individuality."

"Sri Lanka consented to install a hybrid Inquiry Panel before the world body. Now they refuse to abide by their promise and undertaking. This would point out to the world the manner in which our successive governments for 70 years have deceived and fooled our Tamil people." 

Crowds have begun to gather this morning at Mullivaikkal memorial ground ahead of the remembrance event planned to start at 11am local time. School students and families of the disappeared who have been holding continous protests held out May 18 rosettes.