Today marks 51 years since the death of Ponnuthurai Sivakumaran, the first Tamil to die in the liberation struggle. 

Sivakumaran was a member of the Tamil Manavar Peravai (or Tamil Student Federation, TSF) and a leading militant in the early armed Tamil struggle. With decades of Sri Lankan state repression and deadly anti-Tamil pogroms already having taken place, Tamil militant movements began to form. Sivakumaran was involved in assassination attempts on both Somaweera Chandrasiri and Alfred Duraiappah.

Image by Tamil Narratives 

Today marks 17 years since the death of Brigadier Balraj, a senior commander with the LTTE, who passed away from a sudden heart attack in 2008.

Brig. Balraj was famed for his courage, leadership and skills on the battlefield.

His body was laid to rest with full military honours, at the Mulliyavalai Heroes Cemetery in Mullaitivu. The cemetery has since been destroyed by Sri Lankan security forces.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and politicians across the country have issued statements to mark Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, commemorating the tens of thousands of Tamils massacred by the Sri Lankan state in May 2009 and renewing calls for accountability, truth and justice.

Newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney published the following statement this morning:

British Members of Parliament and political leaders have issued statements marking Mullivaikkal Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day, paying tribute to the tens of thousands of Tamils killed in May 2009 and renewing calls for justice, accountability, and peace.

In a message this morning, Uma Kumaran MP, the first British Member of Parliament of Eelam Tamil heritage, stated:

Sri Lankan police disrupted an event in Muthur, Trincomalee today which was organised to distribute Mullivaikkal kanji ahead of Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day.  

Police officers arrived at the event and seized a banner erected at the event and summoned the organisers for questioning.