War Crimes Day observed in Norway, France, Canada, Italy

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 19 May 2010, 07:22 GMT]
Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamils (NCET) commemorated the first anniversary of Mu’l’livaaikkaal massacre Tuesday and declared 18 May as ‘War Crimes Day’, sources in Oslo said. Representatives of Norway political parties participated and spoke in the gathering where a memorandum was handed over to them by NCET. Meanwhile, similar events in France, Canada and Italy took place with the participation of Eezham Tamils and political leaders and people from the respective countries.

In Norway the commemoration event Tuesday at 18:00 began with silent prayer in remembrance of those killed in the war on Vanni followed by speeches on behalf of NCET on the needs of eezham Tamils, the victims of an ethnic genocide.

In Toronto more than 15,000 people belonging to several organizations including those of youths, students, women and Tamil Association gathered in front of Queens Park Parliament Tuesday around 5:00 p.m where representatives of several humanitarian organizations pledged their support to the Tamils’ cause.

In Italy, a 25 km demonstration march commemorating the Mu’l’l’ivaaikkaal massacre of Vanni Tamils which began around 8:00 a.m Tuesday ended around 5:00 p.m. More than 10,000 handbills were distributed during the march. The event was organized by Italy West Region Tamil Youths Organization in which representatives of UN Humanitarian Organizations, Amnesty International, political parties, labour unions and other humanitarian organizations participated in the meeting which followed the march.

In France, a similar march organized by France Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) was begun Tuesday around 3:30 p.m and terminated at Humans Rights Square around 5:30 p.m. In the public meeting which followed the march political leaders Vovard Jacques, Jacques Fabres, Capitano and TRO coordinator spoke.

Special prayers were offered at Muthumariaman temple first before the march in which thousands participated.