Tamil Genocide Education Week, from May 12 to May 18, is a time to remember, to mourn, and to reaffirm our collective responsibility to speak the truth about the genocide committed against the Tamil people in Eelam.
As a Tamil Canadian and as a City Councillor, this week carries deep personal meaning for me. Seeing our once-silenced stories recognized in classrooms and schools across Ontario is profoundly moving. It is an acknowledgment of the intergenerational trauma carried by Tamil families across the diaspora and in our homeland, and a reminder of our shared responsibility to continue the long journey toward truth, healing, and justice.
I think back often to my visit to the Mullivaikal Memorial in 2017, a place where tens of thousands of Tamil civilians were killed during the final stages of the genocidal war in 2009. Walking on that land was one of the most painful and emotional moments of my life. The grief of what happened there cannot be separated from the silence and inaction of the international community that allowed such atrocities to unfold.
Mullivaikal is not only a site of immense loss. It is sacred ground for Tamil people across the world. It stands as a testament to the lives stolen, the families torn apart, and the generations forever shaped by displacement, violence, and state repression. But it is also a symbol of resistance, survival, and the enduring strength of the Tamil people.
As we honour this week, I encourage our communities to continue learning, organizing, and standing in solidarity with Tamil survivors and families who continue to demand truth and accountability. We remember not only to grieve, but to ensure that these crimes are never forgotten and never repeated.