Staten Island Hindu Temple Hosts 16th Annual Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day This Sunday
Staten Island Hindu Temple Hosts 16th Annual Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day This Sunday
Editor’s note: We previously covered the Ilanka Tamil Sangam America’s Kalai Vila, a grand celebration of Tamil heritage. A photo slideshow was included so readers can experience the event. We also published an announcement in advance of the Kalai Villa 2025 event. According to the International Truth and Justice Project (via Wikipedia), which was established in 2013 to hold the Sri Lankan government accountable for the crimes against the Tamil people, 169,796 Tamil civilians were killed between January and May of 2009. The UN states between 40-70,000 Tamil civilians were killed during that time. Between 1956 and 2009, 154,022 to 253,818 Tamil civilians were killed.
Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day in SI Hindu temple on Sunday
Please see the flyer below
May 18, 2025 marks the 16th year since Sri Lanka’s military assault against Tamil civilians in their homeland in the North-East of Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan military’s campaign was the first genocide of the twenty first century, and used methods such as humanitarian blockades and the intentional targeting of civilians in so called ‘safe zones’ that are a precursor to the current devastation in Gaza.
The UN estimates that 40, 000 people were killed in the final months of the war whilst available census data suggest that 147, 000 people remain unaccounted for. In the sixteen years since the end of the war there has been no accountability whatsoever despite the enormity of the crimes.
Sri Lanka has demonstrated its complete unwillingness to provide justice and accountability through domestic mechanisms. Several resolutions on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the collection of quantities of evidence by various bodies, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Sri Lanka Accountability Project (OSLAP), must now lead to urgent action by member states to stop impunity for the international crimes committed against the Tamil community on the island and to provide redress for the victims.
May 18
Tamil Genocide
16th Remembrance Day
4:30 – 5:30 PM
Staten Island Hindu Temple
1318 Victory Blvd
Banner Image: Event flyer. Image Credit – Ilanka Tamil Sangam America
Having a genocide is disgusting. There are infinite other ways to solve an issue.
all war is bad
“Sri Lanka has demonstrated its complete unwillingness to provide justice and accountability through domestic mechanisms. ”
This is the case, no doubt. So, what action is there left to take that remains legitimate?
Exposing these past historical horrors is the answer.
It’s a slippery slope once you start saying it is okay to forget.
We should never forget the Holocaust in Europe. What the Nazi did to the Jews and Gypsies and others was so horrible to even think of.
Or what happened with Pol Pot. Or in the former Soviet empire where they liquidated citizens in the 100 millions. YES! This is all reality.
All this horrible stuff actually happened. Because people forget their Spirit. They get so wrapped up in ideas about the other group being inherently bad they justify the evil in their minds.
It can happen for any number of reasons. People band together and act crazy. It can be a social movement, a philosophy, a religion, a spiritual practice, a belief, a political party, a nation, a city, a family, a skin color, an ethnicity, a national origin, you name it. It could be greed. Some negative trait.
It begins with a group believing they are better and have the right to do this. The Nazis had an ideology that supported what they did. Eugenics is a way they grade people on s scale of worth and some people worth more and others worth nothing. Sick ideas.
Right now on Earth I think there are 30 or something war zones. People are warring over a scarce resource and no plan to share. Or whatever. It is all under reported in the news. I get tat Staten Islander is local but the major media misses these stories.