Tamils in Sri Lanka commemorated war dead for the first time at Mullivaikkal village

Mullivaikkal: The northern village of Sri Lanka where LTTE rebels fought their last fight
Mullivaikkal, the northern village of Sri Lanka was in news on 19 May 2015 as for the first time in six years the Sri Lankan Tamils publicly commemorated those Tamilians who lost their lives during the civil war between Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Sri Lankan Army.

The Mullivaikkal village is the village where LTTE rebels fought their last fight against security forces in a war that lasted for 37 years. The fight ended on 19 May 2009.

In the war, as per the United Nations estimates, some 40000 Tamil civilians were killed in the district that includes Mullivaikkal village where they had fled after the government declared it a safe area.

They were able to commemorate the day because the country's new government under President Maithripala Sirisena lifted a ban on commemorating Tamil victims.

The commemoration was presided over by the Tamil Chief Minister of Northern Province, CV Wigneswaran who lighted a ceremony lamp on the occasion at a makeshift memorial at Mullivaikal. Then hundreds of Tamils also lit oil lamps during the ceremony.

Besides, the Sri Lankan government also observed the 6th anniversary of defeat of LTTE with a Remembrance Day ceremony at Matara. Till 2014, 19 May was observed as Victory Day, but President Maithripala Sirisena government decided to change the nature of ceremony and renamed it as Remembrance Day for those who sacrificed for the unity of the country.

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