Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day — 2020
For Tamil Diaspora, it’s not just remembering, there is a To-Do list of actions to consider take in future.
11 years ago, on May 18, 2009, Eelam Tamils lost their country Tamil Eelam, and thousands of our kith and kin get killed systematically. The destruction of Tamil Eelam was a well planned one even at UN level. It took several years for the Tamil Diaspora activists to put together the pieces. During these times, Indian and Sri Lankan governments tried it’s best to demoralize, confuse, erase the history. Many tasks were done by Tamil Diaspora, but still lots to do with it’s remaining support base before this current generation Tamil Diaspora dies. Then the to do list need to be handover to next generation and so on. These legal, preserving history, advocacy for justice actions doesn’t need to be link to current Tamil people in Tamil Eelam and things can be done independently by Tamil Diaspora in future.
Sri Lanka’s Genocide against Tamils is continuous since 1948. In 2009, thousands of evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity submitted to UN and USA has high resolution satellite images and reports. There were enough evidence to take action. But, no single tangible action yet other than the travel ban on Sri Lanka’s criminal military chief by the USA few months ago. For example, the Sri Lankan military in this photos can be easily identified. After war ended, the POW / civilians got executed right after this photo taken. Judicial trial can be easily done against those military at this picture and their commander, but no single action in the last 11 years. There are thousands of Tamil men, women and children killed by Sri Lankan after the war ended. This is the Tamil Diaspora’s duty to keep knocking the world door.
As Tamil Diaspora, most of us expected more tangible actions in terms of justice. However, at least there is enough documentation at the world’s table to act. Still Tamils will collect more evidence and will make reports, summaries and produce several arts forms to reach the world. Tamil Diaspora’s current efforts are sustainable and persistent and it won’t stop call for justice anytime soon. What Sri Lankan criminal regime did to Tamil people were nothing less than what Hitler did to Jews. The level of cruelty and hate are extreme. It’s not simply a remember and move on. Tamils wanted their Nuremberg trials.
More over, not only Tamil Genocide recognition, the Tamil struggle against Sri Lanka’s genocide was legitimate. The world may take few more years or decades to recognize, but Tamil Diaspora has to produce more next generation lawyers and educate them with all the details. Pass the case file to next generation is what exactly current Tamil Diaspora need to do. The next generation Tamil Diaspora can drop it or pass it to next generation if they couldn’t, but we have to do our duty.
Next generation artists need to be educated to produce arts, films based on Tamil Eelam history. Next generation religious ceremonies should include Tamil Genocide as part of religious events. Next generation Tamil business should be educated to collaborate and support these efforts persistently and sustainable fashion.
It’s Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day because it’s not just remembering, we need to take some actions though out the year. Those actions can range from documenting the history to taking legal actions against agents who committed the crimes and associate with criminal Sri Lankan regime. From office of UN to several western and European nations also supported Sri Lanka’s genocide against Tamils. For example, Canada banning LTTE in 2006 was actually against Canadian interest but how Canadian government persuaded to disrupt the peace talk still need to be studied. West and European governments don’t hesitate learn from mistakes and correct it. But, it’s our duty to explain things to them consistently. Office of UN human rights admitted that they act against their own conduct to support Sri Lanka’s genocide. There are more to do.. Lest we forget.
Vel
