28.05.2025 – Brampton, Canada.
Brampton, Canada – The Tamil Genocide Memorial, proudly inaugurated by Canadian Tamils on May 11, 2025, was vandalized in the early hours of May 27 in what appears to be a deliberate and targeted act. This memorial was built to commemorate the Tamil Genocide, especially the mass killings at Mullivaikkal in 2009.
Targeting History – A Sinhala Attack on Tamil Memory
Standing at 4.8 meters tall and made of stainless steel, the memorial is located in Chinguacousy Park. It was constructed by Canadian Tamils as a symbolic continuation of the destroyed memorial that once stood at the University of Jaffna in Sri Lanka. The attack on this new monument is seen as a continuation of the same genocidal hatred that led to the massacre of Tamils at Mullivaikkal.
Police Investigation and Promised Arrests
The Brampton Police have launched a serious investigation into the incident. Authorities have promised swift arrests of those involved. Restoration work on the damaged parts of the memorial is currently underway.
Ongoing Interference from the Sri Lankan State
Even before its unveiling, the memorial faced fierce opposition from the Sri Lankan government and Sinhala nationalist circles. In August 2024, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry summoned Canada’s top diplomat to protest, claiming that the memorial was “promoting a false history.”
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner Thushara Rodrigo also wrote a letter to Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, asserting that the memorial would “harm community harmony.” However, Mayor Brown rejected this claim and stated that the memorial reflects historical truth and honors the Tamil people’s right to remembrance. In response to Sri Lanka’s interference, complaints were also lodged with Canadian intelligence services regarding foreign diplomatic overreach.
A Shock to the Tamil Community
This act of vandalism has caused deep sorrow and anger within the Tamil community. The Canadian Tamil Congress and other diaspora organizations have strongly condemned the act. It is being seen as part of a continued effort by Sinhala ultra-nationalism to erase Tamil history and identity.
Restoration and Future Protection Efforts
Efforts to rebuild and restore the memorial have already begun. Tamil community leaders and city officials are working together to ensure the site is preserved and protected from future attacks.
They Can Try to Destroy Our Monuments – But Not Our Memories!
This attack on a memorial that commemorates the Mullivaikkal Tamil Genocide serves to once again expose the violent and persistent ideology of Sinhala supremacism to the world. The truth of the genocide cannot be erased – the world is becoming increasingly aware of it.
The destruction of this monument is not just an act of vandalism; it is a declaration of the continuing denial and hatred of Tamil identity. But the Tamil people, through unity and remembrance, will ensure that history is never forgotten.
– Eelaththu Nilavan.
28/05/2025.
