18/05/2025
Tamils of Southend commemorate Mullivaikkal Genocide
As the sun set on 17 May, hundreds of Tamils gathered at Shoebury East Beach to honour the memory of loved ones lost in the Mullivaikkal genocide, 16 years ago.
The usual beachside buzz was replaced with quiet reflection, heartfelt speeches, children’s songs and poems — all culminating in the release of hundreds of floating memorial lanterns into the sea.
Mullivaikkal kanji, a simple porridge of rice and water — the only sustenance for Tamils during the final days of the war — was shared with participants and locals.
While this peaceful act of remembrance unfolded in the UK, Sri Lankan police in Muthur disrupted similar commemorations, seizing banners and summoning organisers.
We remember. We mourn. We resist.
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