Sri Lankan troops were caught on camera stamping out a flame that had been lit to mark the Mullivakkal massacres in Jaffna this evening.

CCTV footage shows armed Sri Lankan soldiers outside the office of a Tamil political party in Old Park Road where a memorial event had taken place.

 

As Tamils around the world mark eleven years since the massacres at Mullivaikkal, a group of diaspora organisations are marking the anniversary through a virtual remembrance event.

In a statement released to mark 11 years since the massacres at Mullivaikkal, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated his call for “a meaningful accountability process” and paid tribute to survivors who fled to Canada.

“This is a time to reflect on the 26 years of conflict, including the last phase of the war in Mullivaikal, and the lives that were lost, and to remember those who were injured, went missing, or were displaced from their homes and communities,” said Trudeau.

The Sri Lankan military announced that more than 14,000 soldiers are to receive “a record promotion bonanza” as part of the state’s “National War Heroes’ Day”, which takes place as Tamils around the world commemorate the massacre of tens of thousands of civilians at Mullivaikkal.

The head office of the Tamil National People's Front in Jaffna was “surrounded by a huge contingent of Sri Lanka Army, Police and intelligence personnel" as Tamil genocide commemoration events taking place across the North-East today.

The latest development, tweeted by the party's official account, comes as the Sri Lankan state attempted to crackdown on remembrance events.

 

<p>A delegation from the European Union to Sri Lanka has issued a statement commemorating the 11th anniversary since the end of the armed conflict, by stating they will "support Sri Lanka’s efforts towards reconciliation".</p> <p>This statement comes despite regression in terms of reconciliation and accountability as army officials accused of war crimes are not only pardoned, but are promoted. In the last year alone, a war criminal was appointed to head position of commander of the Army and now leads the country’s COVID-response, and the government has withdrawn from co-sponsorship of the UNHRC resolution 30/1.</p>

Members of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) alongside religious leaders and civil society were blocked from holding a vigil to mark the Mullivaikkal massacres in Batticaloa this morning.

 

Former Northern Provincial Council (NPC) member, M K Sivajilingam paid tribute to the victims of the Mullivaikkal massacre at Semmai, as Sri Lankan police attempted to distrupt the memorial. The police cited that a court order prevented them from holding the memorial. 

Sivajilingam and his team, however, proceeded by lighting a lamp to honour those who lost their lives.

Sri Lankan security forces have arrested at least two activists from the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF), as Mullivaikkal commemorations are underway across the Tamil homeland.

The TNPF tweeted that Trincomalee District Organizer Sri Gnaneshwaran and District secretary Kugan had been detained by Sampoor police.