As many as 40,000 Tamils perished during the last stages of the war in May last year and left over 280,000 incarcerated in ‘concentration camps’ in North-East Sri Lanka.
During the height of the Sri Lankan government's military onslaught in the Vanni mainland, air power and heavy weapons were turned on civilians, who had taken refuge in the 'no-fire-zone, claiming the lives of many innocent children and women and maiming thousands of others.
In addition, the Sri Lankan authorities, disregarding all international norms, used food and medicine as a weapon of war against civilians. The civilians, especially the children and women cornered in the 'no-fire-zone' were deprived of food and medicine. That was well orchestered by the government which purposefully underestimated the population in the 'no-fire-zone.
"Remembering May 2009" - an event, to commemorate the death of thousands of Tamils who perished in the war. Tamils can't forget the pain & agony of our people went through it at the same time, last year.
Event Schedules:
NORWAY
Oslo
When: Tuesday, 18. may, 2010
Time: 17:30 pm - 20:00 pm
Place: Youngstorget i Oslo
AUSTRALIA
Sydney
War Crimes Day - Remembering May Massacre
When: Tuesday, May 18
Time: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Where: Martin Place Amphitheatre
Melbourne
War Crimes Day
When: Tuesday, May 18
Time: 4.00 pm
Where: Federation Square, opposite the Flinders Street Station
Organ & Blood Donations also arranged in memory of Eelam Tamils, who lost their life during the war in 2009. Those who wish to donate organ and/or blood were asked to contact on 0433 002 621 to register themselves.
Also a petition will be handed over to Australian PM through Local Parlimantarian. (Read the full text of the petition). To sign the petition and to get more details contact 0414 185 348.
CANADA
Ottawa
Tamils Genocide Remembrance Day
When: Sunday, May 16
Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Where: Food Court, Walter Baker Sports Centre, Ottawa
INDIA
Chennai
Remembering the Victims of War Crimes in Sri Lanka - Meeting
When: Monday, May 17
Time: 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Where: C. T. Nayagam T. Nagar Hr. Sec. School
MALAYSIA
Light a lamp in memory of dead Tamils in Sri Lanka
Where: Throughout Malaysia
When: Tuesday, May 18
Time: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
SWEDEN
Stockholm
Mullivaikal Remembrance Day
When: Tuesday, May 18
Time: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Where: Sergels Torg-Stockholm
UNITED KINGDOM
London
Mullivaikal Remembrance Day - War crime againt Tamils
When: Tuesday, May 18
Time: 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Where: Parliament Square (Nearest Tube: Westminster)
UNITED STATES
Washington DC
Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day - Causes Rally
Where: Washington DC - infront of White House
When: Saturday, May 15
Time: 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Dress Code for the event: Black / White
Meanwhile in Sri Lanka TNA urges Tamil people to mourn and hold silent prayers on May 17 to mark what it called a day of "catastrophe".
This "catastrophe is one of the worst in world history," the TNA said in a joint statement signed by its 14 MPs.
The satement said: "A large number of our people have died over the last 30 years or more due to the violence unleashed against them and due to the war. Many others have suffered serious losses."
"A great number of people have been forced out of their houses and rendered refugees in and out of this country.
"During the height of the war, several thousand Tamil people were killed and hundreds of thousand others suffered heavy losses and were forced to flee their homes.
Therefore, we request all Tamil people to annually observe a day of mourning to remember this great tragedy. This year we request that all Tamil people and religious leaders engage in silent prayers on the morning of May 17," the TNA MPs said.
Background
On May 18, 2009, the Government of Sri Lanka declared victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) with little mention of the Tamil civilian catastrophe of the final onslaught.
Forced to retreat by Sri Lankan Army (SLA) offensive operations, hundreds of thousands of Tamil civilians were herded into a narrow strip of land on the North-Eastern coast of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan forces repeatedly and indiscriminately shelled areas densely populated with civilians using heavy weaponry. The government unilaterally declared “no-fire zones” on three different occasions, urging civilians to seek shelter there and then continued bombardment of these “Safe zones”. Government forces also fired artillery that directly struck or landed near hospitals on too many occasions.
“As many as 40,000 civilians could have been killed during the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war” – Former UN spokesperson in Sri Lanka, Gordon Weiss, ABC, 9 Feb 2010
“An average of 1,000 civilian deaths every day.” - The Times, UK, 29 May 2009
A US State Department report mandated to detail incidents during the recent conflict in Sri Lanka that may constitute violations of international humanitarian law or crimes against humanity was published on 22 October 2009 raising further calls for an independent investigation into war crimes.
After the war ended, President Mahinda Rajapaksa signed a joint statement with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon promising that the government would take measures to address allegations related to violations of international humanitarian and human-rights law but no substantive steps have been taken since.
On May 6, 2010, the Sri Lankan government announced that it will establish a commission to report on the lessons learned from the conflict and reconciliation efforts following mounting pressure from Secretary General Ban. Sri Lanka has established at least 10 such commissions to deflect international criticism, none of which have produced any significant results.
"Every time the international community raises the issue of accountability, Sri Lanka establishes a commission that takes a long time to achieve nothing… Ban should put an end to this game of smoke and mirrors and begin a process that would ensure justice for all the victims of Sri Lanka's war." – Brad Adams, HRW, 7 May 2010
"In 2007-8, I was a member of an independent international advisory group observing Sri Lanka's investigation of human rights violations dating from 2006. I concluded that the government lacked the political will to hold accountable the perpetrators of these egregious crimes. When the United Nations secretary-general said this month that he is considering naming a commission of experts to 'assist the government' of Sri Lanka to look at evidence its soldiers committed war crimes last year, my reaction was a chilling feeling of déjà-vu." - Arthur E. Dewey, former assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration, Foreign Policy In Focus, 26 January 2010
Kilde: Tamil national
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