The Tamil Genocide Monument, dedicated to the victims and survivors of the genocide perpetrated by the Sri Lankan state in the final phase of the armed conflict, was inaugurated in Brampton, Canada on May 10.
In the final phase of the armed conflict, the Sri Lankan state encouraged Tamils to gather in 'No Fire Zones' which were intentionally bombed and denied them access to food and medicine. Throughout the armed conflict, Sri Lanka committed unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, torture and sexual violence against Tamils.
The inspiration for the memorial came after the Mullivaikkal memorial at Jaffna University, which was erected in 2019 to honour the Tamil lives lost in the genocide, was bulldozed by Sri Lanka's authorities. This act of destruction led to widespread outrage within the Tamil homeland and globally. Backed by city leaders, two local organisations, the Brampton Tamil Association and Brampton Tamil Seniors Association, joined hands to spearhead the project.
The inauguration ceremony
Thousands gathered at Chinguacousy Park in the city of Brampton, home to a significant Tamil population, for the unveiling of the monument.
The ceremony began with the lighting of a lamp to remember the victims of the Tamil genocide. The lamp was lit by various Tamil activists and politicians, including Mayor of Brampton Patrick Brown and MPP for Scarborough-Rouge Park Vijay Thanigasalam.
The design of the monument includes a book shaped structure symbolising educating the history of the Tamil genocide with a map of Tamil Eelam that signifies the ancestral Tamil homeland.
The nine panels, which symbolise the nine districts of the North-East, details the acts of genocide perpetrated by Sri Lanka since 1948.
Rugsha Sivanandan, the Executive Director of the National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT) thanked Brampton Council for their “unanimous support” in building the monument.
“You have sent a powerful message that truth, justice and remembrance matters in this city,” Sivanandan said.
The Mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown, told the crowd about the obstacles Brampton city faced in constructing the monument. In August 2024, a ceremony was held to lay the foundation stone for the monument, however, this was disrupted by a group of Sinhala protesters.
The protesters shouted 'shame on you' and held placards that read claimed Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown is 'destroying peaceful Sri Lanka’.
“We do not forget the extent of the Tamil Genocide,” Brown said at the inauguration. "The genocide deniers - you’re not welcome in Brampton, you’re not welcome in Canada, go back to Colombo," Brown said.
“Hundreds of thousands of civilians were murdered by the Sri Lankan state. The state engaged in a campaign of misinformation. They tried to disparage and attack Tamils who were speaking up for the truth, for justice. Not only was it a physical genocide, it was an attack on Tamils everywhere,” Brown added.
Ranjan Sriranjan, the Chair of the NCCT said the new monument “serves as place for the Tamil Canadian community to come together and remember the victims of the Tamil genocide.”
“It also allows us to share our traumatic experience and educate our fellow Canadians,” he added.
Vijay Thanigasalam, MPP for Scarborough-Rouge Park, said that the monument serves as a "powerful symbol that ensures that our history will never be erased."
"We remember May 2009, we remember the No Fire Zones being shelled, we remember the devastation of the bombardment of cluster bombs and chemical bombs being used against Tamil people," Thanigasalam said.
"We remember the 169,796 people who are unaccounted for to this day. We will never forget that."
Juanita Nathan, MP for Pickering-Brookin, said that the Tamil community has even "deeply impacted" by the memory of the genocide, the fight for justice and the pursuit of truth.
The monument "reminds us of the lives lost, the communities torn apart and the unimaginable pain endured by many innocent lives," Nathan noted.
Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation, said he was very "proud" to support the Tamil community. He added that the monument is a "strong reminder of the amazing contribution Tamil Canadians have made not only to this province but to this country."
Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, said that tens of thousands of Tamils tragically lost their lives 16 years ago.
"Tonight we honour those victims, survivors and their loved ones who live with the lasting pain," Cho said.
Parthi Kandavel, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 20, said that the monument is a "temple for our Maaveerar, for our innocent civilians who gave their lives, gave their innocence, who gave their blood, for our identity and for us to lives with freedom and peace."
Anu Sriskandarajah, Toronto District School Board Trustee for Ward 22, told the crowd that the monument is a "testament to show that we're here to stay and that we will continue to believe in our cause."
"I hope that kids come here on school trips and learn about our history," she added.
In her closing remarks, Sivanandan of the NCCT said the pursuit of the Eelam Tamil right to self-determination will continue. The song 'Nampungal Tamil Eelam Naalai Pirakkum' - believe it, Tamil Eelam will be born - was played to conclude the ceremony.
Watch the ceremony on Tamil Guardian's Youtube channel.