Sri Lankan Tamils observe 15th anniversary of armed conflict end

Colombo: Sri Lanka on Saturday marked the 15th anniversary of the end of the armed separatist campaign with Tamils holding a series of events throughout the former conflict zone in the north and east regions to remember their dear ones killed in the clashes.

However, in many areas, police and government troops were accused of attempting to disrupt the memorial events.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had run a military campaign for a separate Tamil homeland in the northern and eastern provinces of the island nation for nearly 30 years before its collapse in 2009.

On May 18, 2009, the Sri Lankan army declared victory with the discovery of the body of the dreaded LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran.

Agnes Callamard, the Secretary General of Amnesty International, visited the final battle site at Mullaivaikkal in the north-eastern Mullaithivu district to attend the commemoration.

“Today’s anniversary is a grim reminder of the collective failure of the Sri Lankan authorities and the international community to deliver justice to the many victims of Sri Lanka’s three-decade-long internal armed conflict,” Callamard said.

She said the UN investigations have found credible evidence of crimes committed by both sides to the conflict - “yet there has been little by the way of an independent or impartial national inquiry.” The police and the government troops were accused of attempting to disrupt the memorials leading to the day’s event in different parts. The troops maintained that in the guise of remembering the 'conflict dead', permission cannot be given for the events that celebrate the LTTE, a banned organisation.

The troops came under fire for arresting several Tamils, including women, for organising memorials.

In Colombo, police thwarted an attempt to disrupt a ceremony commemorating those killed in the conflict. One person was arrested as he argued with police saying he was against the LTTE being commemorated, police said.

Meanwhile, the government’s celebration of the victory in the war is to take place on Sunday with the participation of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the war memorial near parliament here.

The defence ministry has announced promotions to over 3,100 sailors and 1,300 soldiers to mark the victory over the LTTE ending the separatist campaign.