The historic Richelieu Amphitheatre at Sorbonne University in Paris hosted a major conference on the Tamil genocide and the ongoing struggle for international justice last month.
The event, which brought together French lawmakers, civil society organisations, legal experts, and artists, marked a significant step in advancing global recognition of the atrocities committed against the Tamil people.
It was organised by Em Inam in collaboration with Sorbonne ONU, a student organisation.
The conference opened with a compelling address from French Member of the National Assembly Carlos Martens Bilongo, who underscored the urgent need to uphold international law in the face of continued human rights violations.
In what many attendees described as a historic moment, fellow French National Assembly member Aly Diouara explicitly recognised the genocide committed against the Tamil people. His declaration marked what is believed to be the first public acknowledgment of the Tamil genocide by a sitting member of the French National Assembly
The evening continued with a panel discussion featuring leading voices in the field of human rights, transitional justice, and international law. Speakers included:
• Maître Thomas Castejon, a prominent French lawyer specialising in asylum law, who has long worked with Tamil asylum seekers fleeing persecution.
• Anushani Alagarajah, Executive Director of the Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research, who provided insight into the legal architecture of international justice and the structural impunity in Sri Lanka.
• Ahrabi Rajkumar, Director of Research and Advocacy at PEARL (People for Equality and Relief in Lanka), who spoke on the importance of international documentation and advocacy, particularly in relation to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed by the Sri Lankan state.
The panel examined not only the documentation of these crimes but also the pathways available for justice through international institutions such as the United Nations Human Rights Council, and the potential for prosecutions under universal jurisdiction.
Throughout the evening, speakers and attendees alike reaffirmed the need for international accountability and pledged to continue efforts toward global recognition of the genocide against the Tamil people.
The event at Sorbonne - long a symbol of European intellectual and political discourse- was seen as a significant moment for the Tamil diaspora in France and globally, advancing both remembrance and justice.
Photographs: Milucsan Maheswaran
