Colombo, May 14 (newsin.asia): An international investigation into charges of war crimes against the Sri Lankan armed forces will help create world-wide awareness of the immense suffering, death and destruction which Tamil civilians underwent during the last war and create conditions for the realization of their long standing demand for adequate devolution of power, the Chief Minister of the Tamil-majority Northern Province, C.V.Wignewaran, has said.
In his message on the planned observance of Mulliwaikkal Day on May 18, Wigneswaran said that whether the perpetrators of the war crimes are punished or not, an international investigation into the “war without witnesses” will bring out true stories about the suffering of the people at the time. And that would help them get international support for their current peaceful struggle to secure their rights.
He criticized those who say ‘let bygones be bygones’ and said that those who underwent suffering at that time need to know who was responsible for the carnage. Observances such as Mullaiwaikkal Day would help bring people together and carry on the struggle the struggle for rights peacefully with international support.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the Tamil people do not now believe that violence will pay and have been agitating peacefully and securing their demands. Such a movement will be sustained and will gather momentum when people collectively remember the tragedies they had gone through.
He appealed to Tamils both at home and abroad to observe three minutes’ silence at 9.30 am, where ever they may be. There will be an observance at Mulliwaikkal.
Mulliwaikkal is the narrow strip of land between the Nandikadal lagoon and the Bay of Bengal in Mullaitivu disrict in North East Sri Lanka where thousands were trapped by the attacking Sri Lankan army and the defending Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam who were using the people as human shields.
According to the UN, based on what it called “credible” reports, about 40,000 civilians were killed in the last phase of the 2006-2009 war.But government investigations found that 8,000 had died. The number of dead is still a matter of conjecture with no independent count having taken place.
(The featured picture at the top shows a lamp lighting ceremony at Mulliwaikkal)
