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GoSL to limit ‘War Victory’ day to religious observances 

17 May 2021

By Pamodi Waravita    The Government would be limiting the ‘War Victory’ day celebrations held annually on 19 March to religious observances this year due to the escalating Covid-19 pandemic in the country.  Speaking to The Morning, Media Secretary to the State Minister of National Security and Disaster Management Nimal Weeratunga said that although plans have not been finalised yet, this year’s ‘War Victory’ day celebrations would be limited to religious observances.  War Victory day on 19 March commemorates the ending of the 30-year long civil conflict in 2009.  Elsewhere, the ‘North-East Mullivaikkal Memorial Forum’ Co-chair Father Leo Armstrong alleged that the Police had issued stay orders to some members of the Forum to not enter the area in Mullivaikkal where monuments are placed to remember family members who had died due to the war.  “We are trying to contact health authorities to gain permission to have a small religious ceremony to remember our dead,” Fr. Armstrong further said.  Last week, a memorial stone that was brought to Mullivaikkal by the North-East Mullivaikkal Memorial Forum, in preparation for the remembrance of victims during the last stages of the Sri Lankan civil conflict in 2009 on 18 May, had allegedly ‘disappeared’.  Speaking to The Morning, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam stressed on the right to remember and memorialisation, emphasising that it is an important step towards reconciliation.  “I do not see why the Government is so afraid of the Tamil community remembering their loved ones. People who have lived here for thousands of years must have the right to remember their dead,” said Rasamanickam.  18 May marks a day of remembrance around the country, as the approximately 30-year long civil conflict was brought to an end on 18 May 2009. The Tamil community continues to allege hindrances to their forms of remembrance and memorialisation of the victims of the last stages of the conflict, raising continuous concerns about the harassment they receive from authorities on the day of remembrance.


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