A Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day commemoration was held in Drancy, France, on Saturday (May 16) to honour the tens of thousands of Tamils killed during the final stages of the armed conflict in Mullivaikkal.

Human Rights Watch’s Asia director Elaine Pearson has come under criticism after calling for a “domestic accountability mechanism” whilst attending Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day commemorations in Mullivaikkal this week, despite repeatedly stating that the organisation stood in “solidarity” with Tamils.

Sri Lanka’s current government has moved to abolish the country’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) position, publishing draft legislation to repeal the Chief of Defence Staff Act No. 35 of 2009, which was introduced shortly after the end of the armed conflict.

An event commemorating the Tamil genocide was held outside Bern parliament in Switzerland on May 18. 

Hundreds gathered outside the parliament building to remember the victims of the genocide perpetrated by the Sri Lankan government. 

Former Sri Lankan president and accused war criminal Mahinda Rajapaksa marked Sri Lanka’s “Victory Day” through a separate observance this week, after being snubbed from the from official government event by the currnt regime.

Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake praised the country’s armed forces for defeating “separatism” on Tuesday, whilst making no reference to the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians killed during the armed conflict.

Sri Lankan opposition parliamentarian Chamara Sampath Dassanayake attempted to spark controversy in parliament on Tuesday after raising allegations concerning a cabinet minister’s daughter residing in a property in the United Kingdom owned by a member of the Tamil diaspora.

Thousands of Tamils gathered at Mullivaikkal on Monday to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, where a declaration issued at the remembrance event warned that the Tamil nation continues to face systematic efforts to erase its identity and called for a renewed Tamil cultural resurgence as a form of resistance.

Tamils across Italy marked the 17th anniversary of the genocide at Mullivaikkal. 

Palermo 

Candles were lit to remember the tens and thousands of Tamils that were trapped and killed in the 'No Fire Zones'.  Representatives from Palermo Municipal Council joined the commemorations. 

Tamils in the Netherlands held an awareness protest marking the 17th Mullivaikkal remembrance, joined by members of the Kurdish community in solidarity and support for their call for justice

Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief Seeman has called on Tamils worldwide to unite as one, as the Tamil people are being forced to fight for its survival and that "political liberation" remains the only path forward.

Jaffna District Member of Parliament Archuna Ramanathan used proceedings in Sri Lanka’s parliament on Tuesday to issue violent threats against Tamil Nadu nationalist leader Seeman, declaring that he would have shot him had he been able to bring weapons into India and bombed him if Seeman had visited Jaffna.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is set to attend the state’s annual “National Victory Day Commemoration Ceremony” today, marking 17 years since the end of the armed conflict which culminated in the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamils.

Tamil across Denmark gathered in churches and temples this week to commemorate Tamil Genocide Remembrance Week, holding religious observances in honour of the tens of thousands of Tamils killed during the final stages of the armed conflict in 2009.