Tamils - a Trans State Nation..

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Life's good comes not from others' gift, nor ill
Man's pains and pains' relief are from within.
Thus have we seen in visions of the wise !."
-
Tamil Poem in Purananuru, circa 500 B.C 

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Home > Tamils - a Nation without a State> United Kingdom > Eelam Tamil Murukuthasan Immolates Himself before UN Headquarters in Geneva so that Tamil Eelam may Live

Tamils - a Nation without a State

United Kingdom - ஐக்கிய இராச்சியம்
- an estimated 100,000 Tamils live in Great Britain  -


Eelam Tamil Muruguthasan Immolates Himself 
before UN Headquarters in Geneva - so that Tamil Eelam may Live

தீயினில் எரியாத தீபங்கள்...


"I give my Life so that truth may prevail'

12 February 2009

Report on Self Immolation

'My Appeal to the World Community on behalf of the Tamil Nation'

  ஐ.நா. முன்றலில் கவனயீர்ப்பு நிகழ்வு; தீக்குளித்து மரணமான முருகதாசனுக்கு தமிழர்கள் வணக்கம் Puthinam, 14 February 2009

A Harrow Tamil martyrs himself to protest against the Sri Lanka government, 18 February 2009

ஜெனீவாவில் திரண்ட தமிழர்கள் 'வீரத் தமிழன்' முருகதாசனுக்கு வணக்கம், Puthinam, 20 February 2009

Murugathasan Varnakulasingham' Funeral, Harrow Times,  5 March 2009

[see also தீயினில் எரியாத தீபங்கள்
Muthukumar, Ravichandran, Thamil Venthan, Sivaprakasam]


  Report on Self Immolation

ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபையின் முன்றலின் முன்பாக திடீரென நேற்று வியாழக்கிழமை இரவு 8:15 தொடக்கம் 9:45 நிமிடம் வரையான நேரத்துக்குள் இளைஞர் தீக்குளித்துள்ளார் என தெரிவிக்கப்படுகின்றது.

சம்பவ இடத்துக்கு விரைந்த காவல்துறையினர் இளைஞரை உடனடியாக மருத்துவமனைக்கு கொண்டு சென்றனர்.

எனினும் இளைஞர் சம்பவ இடத்திலேயே மரணமடைந்து விட்டார் என சுவிசில் இருந்து "புதினம்" செய்தியாளர் தெரிவிக்கின்றார்.

லண்டனில் இருந்து வந்த இந்த இளைஞரின் பெயர் முருகதாசன் (வயது 27) என தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இவர், 7 பக்கங்களுக்கு தாயக பிரச்சினை தொடர்பாக ஒரு மரண சாசனம் எழுதி வைத்து தீக்குளித்துள்ளார் எனவும் எமது செய்தியாளர் மேலும் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

முருகதாசன் தீக்குளித்த இடத்தில் மலர்கள் வைத்து மக்கள் வணக்கம் செலுத்தி வருகின்றனர் எனவும் எமது செய்தியாளர் தெரிவித்தார்.

 

My Appeal to the World Community on behalf of the Tamil Nation

On behalf of the Tamil people I make this submission from the depth of my being to the world community. I sacrifice my life to awaken the conscience of the world which has failed to prevent and stop the genocide of my people. My name is Murukathasan. Date of Birth - 02 -12-1982. I am a Tamil displaced from Ilankai (Sri Lanka) and living in London in the United Kingdom.








My name is Murukathasan

Date of Birth 02.12.1982

My humble request to the International Community on behalf of Tamils.

I,  Murukathasan, an innocent Tamil civilian displaced from Sri Lanka, now living in the United Kingdom, openly and clearly declare my last will in this statement to the International Community which failed to stop the genocide against the Tamils living in their traditional homeland (North and Eastern provinces in Sri Lanka) by the chauvinist Sinhala Buddhist Government and to wake up the heart of the world community.

The world community has a one sided unreasonable vision, about slaves, the poor and the rights of the suppressed minority people living in various countries including Sri Lanka. This careless, undemocratic and inhuman approach of the world community and the International organisations including UNO helps state terrorism which always acts against the minorities of the world including Sri Lankan Tamils.

To expose this truth, I cannot find a better way, except sacrificing my own life by burning myself before the world community. I believe the flames over my body, heart and soul will help the world community to have a deep  human look over the great sufferings of the Sri Lankan Tamils.

Till this moment the genocide activities against the Tamils by the Sri Lankan Govt is silently accepted by the International community by helping Sinhala state terrorism by providing arms, ammunition, military and intelligence needs openly and secretly which boost the morale of the Mahinda Rajapakse's regime  continue the civil war against the Tamils in an aggressive way.

The Sri Lankan Govt rejects all the requests of the world community and violates frankly all type of international war and human rights laws and ordinance and continue its brutal genocide activities under the covered name of anti terrorism activities.

The Sri Lankan Govt completely ignores all the rules and regulations regarding war including 'Geneva Declaration', cheats UNO, condemn ICRC and Amnesty International continuously and continuing its genocidal war openly.

This is great tragedy.

The international community can easily understand the situation in Vanni. Nearly four and a half lakhs of Tamils of all ages of both sex are trapped within a very small area - a war zone - and have to face all kinds of difficulties.

No proper shelter. No required food and medicine. No way to earn for their living. No education.No NGO's or INGO's to help, guide and to console them.

Under air attack area, within fall of bullets, the Tamils young and old, infants and children, male and female including pregnant ladies, patients disabled peoples suffer a lot. How can I express in words? I can't. But I think the people of the world who can think reasonably understand what I am try to say through my heart and soul.

Scattered pieces of the dead bodies, blood stained streets, burnt houses, continuous movements of the displaced peoples and their feared hopeless faces, the sound of passing shells, bullets, rounds and bombs, destroyed natural sources, buildings, houses, temples and hospitals, empty shops, dangerous mud streets and lanes. Can you able to imagine a picture of a suffering country? This is a real scene of my homeland and life portrait of Tamils.

No media men are allowed to visit and see the true situation of the Vanni Tamils. Most of the media speak on behalf of the Govt and spitting lies to create a false scene about Vanni situation.

Once again I want to say this is the most tragic situation that world community must take quick and necessary action to stop the genocide against the Tamil people and save their life.

For your kind perusal and deep consideration I am giving you the following facts.

On 26.01.2009 at Mullaitivu – Suthanthirapuram junction after World Food Programme(UN) officers after hoisting their flag started to distribute food and other things to the thousands of displaced people gathered at ground. While distributing activities continues, they have to face severe shell attack from morning till night by SriLankan security forces(SLSF). While this attack the ICRC office also undergone severe damages. That day 302 innocent Tamil civilians killed and 1199 people severely injured. On that day a lot of unidentified bodies of the Tamils were found in the surroundings of the Udayarkaddu hospital.

When I was informed about this through phone by a relative, I got great shock. No one was there to save the injured. No one know who and who are alive and dead. The UN and the ICRC officers who were the only witness for this tragic incident, also seek shelter in the small drench bunkers to save their life and left the premises immediately. Then they issued a statement about this incident. That place was already announced as a security zone by the Sri Lankan Govt. This is an important point. The Govt showed no reaction to the statement, ignore it and continues its attacks more and more vigorously.

What do you think about this?How do you name it? I openly name it as State terrorism.

From 02.02.2009 till 04.02.2009 Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital which was declared by the Govt as a security area and was functioning under the supervision of ICRC and UN officers targeted and attacked by Sri Lankan Security Forces severle y while these officers were at the hospital premises, killed and injured many patients who were under treatment at that time.

There is no need of witness other than UN and ICRC officers who were present there at that time.

On 04.02.2009 the Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital was compleatly destroyed and made functionless by the Govt to celebrate their independence day in a cruel manner. ICRC officers confirmed that there were nearly 500 patients under the treatment while Puthukkudiyiruppu Hospital was attacked by the SriLankan Airforce(SLAF) and Artillary cluster bombs.

I want to ask the International community to explain me what kind of attack it was? Was it an attack against the terrorism?

Before this incident- on 26.01.2009 – Udayarkaddu hospital was attacked and many people killed. Regarding this incident the spokesmen of the SriLankan security forces Brigadier Udhaya Nanayakkara asked a question in an interview to the BBC,that why the people go to Udayarkaddu hospital instead of Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital and put forward a senseless reasons for their brutal bombing.

A few days before this incident, Udayarkaddu area also declared by the Govt as security zone and asked the people to move towards that area to save their life.

Didn't Mr.Nanayakkara know this Govt declaration?

While giving reasons for the attacks on the hospitals, Sri Lankan Defense secretary, the Presidents brother Mr.Gothabaya Rajapakse told to British 'Sky TV' in an special interview that, No hospital can exist beyond No-fire-zone, No hospital should operate outside the safety zone, everything beyond the safety is a legitimate target.

Thus he gave a foolish reason to world community.

Is the world community accept the answer of the Gothabaya Rajapakse?  Mullaitivu General hospital which was functioning earlier at Mulliavalai and then at Vallipunam, Kilinochchi hospital which was functioning at Visvamadhu and then at Udayarkaddu,Mallavi hospital which was functioning at Moonkilaru and Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital,all were attacked and completle y destroyed by the SLAF because Govt want not to allow Tamils to get treatment to save their life.

The International community and UN organizations ask both parties to respect the International Humanitarian Laws, but they keep silence to take any strong action against Sri Lankan Govt who ignore all kinds of reasonable requests of the same community and organization.

This is the main cause for the present tragic situation.

Because of the chauvinistic stand of the Sri Lankan Govt, the Tamils are continuously suppressed by the Sinhala rulers cruelly by refuse to give their political rights by implementing unacceptable laws. After the Independence of Sri Lanka, the Sinhala leaders gradually and sharply planned to build up the country as a complete Buddhist Sinhala nation by suppressing the minority Tamils politically, economically, culturally and educationally. Sinhala colonization in the Tamils Homeland areas create a big problem, which leads to communal riots and civil war.

During peace talks periods to seek a reasonable political solution Sinhala leaders tried their tactics to cheat the Tamil leaders. Speaking about peace and political solution the Sinhala leaders basically believe in military solution and their genocide maniac policies never allow them to reach a political solution to ethnic problem.

During the last four decades Sinhala leaders continue a civil war aggressively, which now became an openly declared war between Sinhalese and Tamils.

Under the covered name of terrorism Sri Lankan chauvinist leaders and Buddhist monks now running a full scale war against Tamils which has a sharp plan to destroy Tamil community from Sri Lanka. That process is now continuing.

The International community is silently watching everything - has kept closed its ears to the cries of Tamils. The voice of the Tamil for their self determination political rights is reasonable and democratically acceptable by the International community. If so, why this community keep silence in this matter? I can't understand the real policy of the democratic International community.

The Tamils take arms in their hands only to safe guard themselves from Sri Lankan armed forces. All knew and History tells that the rights of Tamils were refused during last four hundred years of colonial rulers. When Britishers leaving our country they handed over the ruling rights to majority Sinhalese. From that day the Tamils fight for their political rights through quiet and democratic ways which was violently rejected by the Sinhala rulers.This inhuman way of approach made the Tamils to select the same way to answer the Sinhalese.

This is inevitable.This is reasonable and acceptable.

After the world community realized that a political solution must find to end this communal problem a process was started by Norway with the help of Co-chairs a half decade ago. It shows this is a political problem and it must be solved through a reasonable lasting political solution.  But the Sri Lankan Govt on its own way to seek a solution through a war.

The silence of the world community make me to think whether they are also take an anti  Tamil stand?

This question makes me to take the decision of sacrificing my life by burning myself before the world community which convey a message to take a reasonable decision on this issue, and try their best immediatly to save the life of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

The statement issued by the Co-chairs on 03.02.2009 highly worried the Tamils who have a deep confident on them. The last hope of the Sri Lankan Tamils is also lost by this unreasonable pro-Sri Lankan Govt statement. Do the Co-chairs countries want to help the Sri Lankan chauvinists in their genocidal activities against Tamils?  I know that the Co-chairs countries were take a pro Sri Lankan stand during the Norway peace talks which help the Sri Lankan Govt to build up their armed forces and also to cheat the Tamils.

I dont know whether the Co-chairs know the situation in state controlled areas of the North and East of Sri Lanka. Tamils live in those area live a lifeless life. Kidnapping, murders, rapes and other human rights violations continue in those areas.

Peoples live like open jail prisoners. Medias are threatened. Human rights organisations seldom expose these news.But the world community including Co-chairs keep closed their lips, and ask our people to move into the military controled areas.Can Co chairs take responsibility for the security of the people live in state controlled areas?

Never they can't.

We Tamils believe that the world community including Co-chairs who speak a lot about the

Sovereignty of the countries help the state terrorism, by ignoring the sovereignty of the minority peoples like Tamils who fight for the reasonable political rights and branded their liberation struggle as terrorism. I am worried and ashamed about this.

We Tamils displaced and all over the world loudly raised our problems and asked for help before international community in your own language for three decades. But nothing happened. In this situation, how can I express my feelings? I have no words to wake up a world  community to have a humanitarian look over our problem and to take necessary action to save our life.

So I decided to sacrifice my life by burning myself before the International community and the UNO Headquarters. This will tell you a bright message which reach your heart and minds and wake up your soul. I firmly believe that the end of my life will make the world community to change their heart and to start a new era which help to liberate Tamils in Sri Lanka.

I want to tell one thing to the world Tamil community. Please get together, join your hands, raise your voice together to win the rights of our people, and to win the hearts and minds of all Nationalities. This is a great last chance.

The flames over my body will be a Torch to guide you through the liberation path. I am too far away from you by body, but I am too near to your heart. Never believe the Sinhala chauvinist leaders, who never change the hearts and minds towards justice and peace.

We continuously ask and fight for our reasonable rights before the world community. There is a Bible Saying- 'Ask it will be given to you and knock, the door will be opened.' As so-one day the world's heart, mind and the soul will wake up. That day we liberate our self, our homeland and enter into a new era. With much hope and confidence

yours, Murukathasan


ஐ.நா. முன்றலில் கவனயீர்ப்பு நிகழ்வு; தீக்குளித்து மரணமான முருகதாசனுக்கு தமிழர்கள் வணக்கம் Puthinam, 14 February 2009



சுவிற்சர்லாந்தில் உள்ள ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபையின் முன்றலில் தமிழ் இளையோரினால் குறுகிய காலத்துக்குள் ஏற்பாடு செய்யப்பட்ட கவனயீர்ப்பு நிகழ்வு நேற்று நடைபெற்றது. இதில் நேற்று முன்நாள் தீக்குளித்து மரணமான முருகதாசனுக்கு அங்கு திரண்டிருந்த தமிழ் மக்கள் வணக்கம் செலுத்தினர்.
ஜெனீவாவில் உள்ள ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபையின் முன்றலில் நேற்று வெள்கிக்கிழமை பிற்பகல் 1:00 மணிக்கு தொடங்கிய இந்நிகழ்வில் ஆயிரக்கணக்கான தமிழ் மக்கள் திரண்டனர்.

நிகழ்வின் தொடக்கத்தில், ஈழத் தமிழரின் இன்னலைத் தீர்க்க அனைத்துலக சமூகம் தலையிடக்கோரி நேற்று முன்நாள் இரவு 8:30 நிமிடமளவில் தீக்குளித்த ஈழத்தமிழரான முருகதாசனுக்கு அங்கு திரண்டிருந்த தமிழ் மக்கள் தமது வணக்கத்தினை செலுத்தினர்.

புலம்பெயர்ந்திருந்த நிலையிலும் தாயகத்தினதும், தமிழீழ விடுதலையினதும் அளப்பரிய பற்றினால் ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபை முன்பாக தீக்குளித்து உயிர்த்தியாகம் செய்த முருகதாசனின் மரண செய்தி கேட்டு சுவிஸ் வாழ் தமிழ் மக்கள் ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபையை நோக்கி வருகை தந்த வண்ணம் இருந்தனர்.

கதறியழும் தாய்மார், கண்ணீர் விட்டு அழும் மாணவர்கள், உணர்வுகளை அடக்க முடியாது எல்லோரையும் சோகம் சூழ எமது மக்கள் மீதான சிறிலங்கா அரசின் கொலை வெறி நடவடிக்கைகள் நிறுத்தப்பட வேண்டும் என முழக்கம் இட்டவாறு ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபையின் முன்றலை ஊடறுத்துச் செல்லும் பிரதான சாலையை வழிமறித்து போராட்டத்தை முன்னெடுத்தனர்.

கட்டுப்படுத்த முடியாத உள்ளுணர்வுகளினால் ஒன்றித்திருந்த மக்கள், காவல்துறையினரின் தடைகளையும் மீறி ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபையின் பிரதான வாசலை முற்றுகையிட்டு உள்ளே செல்வதற்கு முயற்சித்தனர்.

இவர்களின் உணர்வுகளுக்கு மதிப்பளித்த காவல்துறையினர் பிரதான சாலையை மூடி உதவினர். இறுதியில் முருகதாசனின் மரண சாசனம் வாசிக்கப்பட்டு நிகழ்வு நிறைபெற்றது.
 


A Harrow Tamil martyrs himself to protest against the Sri Lanka government
Harrow Times, 18 February 2009

A Tamil from Harrow poured petrol over his head and burned himself to death in protest at the civil war which is devastating large parts of the population of Sri Lanka.

Murukathasan Vanakulasingam left his family last Tuesday to fly to Switzerland and take part in a mass protest against the attacks on Tamils by the Sri Lankan government. But on Thursday night, hours before he was expected to fly home and return to his job, the 27-year-old computer science graduate set fire to himself outside the gates of the United Nations headquarters in Geneva.

He left a letter ten metres away, explaining he had sacrificed his life to draw attention to the plight of his fellow Tamils who are caught up in an increasingly bloody civil war.

Murukathasan's family found out about his death when it was reported on websites, and they spoke to the Harrow Times about the anguish of finding out he had taken his own life. His sister Arumdevi, 24, said: “All he did for the last few weeks was watch television and get angrier and angrier that nobody was doing anything about how many people are dying. He was very sad. “Everyone is calling and saying he is equal to gold, they are praising what he has done.”

Murukathasan lived with his family in Grange Avenue, in Belmont, since 2000, and had been working for the last few months as a cashier at the local Sainsburys. He was expected back at work on Friday, but when he did not return, his family started scouring the Internet for any news of him.

The protest Murukathasan went to join was sparked by reports 120 Tamil women were forced by Sri Lankan soldiers to abort their children. The government and Tamil Tigers, a separatist guerilla organisation, have been embroiled in a 25-year civil war, with the Tigers fighting for an independent state in north and east Sri Lanka. In recent months, the country's government has started an aggressive crackdown to try to win the war, but this has led to the deaths of many Tamils. His brother Velmurugam, 24, said his brother should be remembered as a martyr who died for the people of his country.

He said: “He wanted to protest about what he was seeing happen in Sri Lanka, but nobody knew he was going to do this. “We are sad because we have lost a life, but we are very proud of what my brother has done. “There is a genocide going on, 100 people are dying every day. But the international community doesn't want to do anything about it. “We want there to be freedom for the people of Sri Lanka because that will be the price of his sacrifice.”

Murukathasan's father has flown out to Geneva to identify the body and bring his son home to Harrow, and his mother Puveneswary has been inconsolable since hearing of her son's death.

The Tamil community is planning a memorial service and funeral in Harrow, when it is thought as many as 50,000 could come to pay their last respects. Councillor Thaya Idaikaddar, who represents Roxeth ward and is a leader in the international Tamil community, said: “Even though I appreciate and admire his courage and what he has done, I am pleading with people not to do it. “We don't want any further incidents like this, we don't want any more loss of human life.”
 


ஜெனீவாவில் திரண்ட தமிழர்கள் 'வீரத் தமிழன்' முருகதாசனுக்கு வணக்கம், Puthinam, 20 February 2009

சுவிற்சாலாந்து ஜெனீவா நகரில் உள்ள ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபையின் முன்றலில் இன்று நடைபெற்று கொண்டிருக்கும் ஒன்றுகூடலில் அணிதிரண்ட தமிழர்கள் தீக்குளித்து உயிர்த்தியாகம் புரிந்த 'வீரத் தமிழன்' முருகதாசனுக்கு மலர் வணக்கத்தை செலுத்தியுள்ளனர்.

ஜெனீவாவில் உள்ள ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபை முன்றலில் கடந்த வியாழக்கிழமை (12.02.09) தீக்குளித்து உயிர்த்தியாகம் புரிந்த 'வீரத் தமிழன்' முருகதாசனுக்கு ஐரோப்பாவின் பல பாகங்களில் இருந்தும் திரண்டு வந்த தமிழர்கள் மலர் வணக்கத்தை செலுத்தினர்.

ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபைக்கு அருகில் உள்ள தேவாலயத்தில் 'வீரத் தமிழன்' முருகதாசனின் உடலம் இன்று வெள்ளிக்கிழமை காலை 10:30 நிமிடத்துக்கு மலர் வணக்கத்துக்காக வைக்கப்பட்டது.

ஈழத்தில் தமிழர்கள் மீது சிறீலங்கா அரசு திணித்துள்ள போரினால் மக்கள் படும் அவலத்தைக் கேட்டும், காணொளியில் கண்டும் அதனால் மனம் நொந்த 'வீரத் தமிழன்' முருகதாசன், தாயகத்தில் நிலவும் அவலத்தை உலக சமூகத்தின் பார்வைக்குக் கொண்டு வரும் நோக்கோடு தன்னையே தீக்கு இரையாக்கிய செய்தி கேட்டு துடித்த தமிழர்கள் தமது வணக்கத்தை செலுத்த குறிப்பிட்ட நேரத்திற்கு முன்பே தேவாலயத்திற்கு அணி திரண்டு வந்தனர்.

வணக்கத்தை முடித்துக்கொண்ட மக்கள் தங்களது உள்ளக்குமுறலை உலக சமூகத்திற்கு எடுத்துக்கூற பேரணியில் கலந்து கொள்வதற்கு ஜெனீவா பிரதான தொடரூந்து நிலையத்திற்கு அருகில் உள்ள பூங்காவிற்குச் சென்றனர்


Murugathasan Varnakulasingham' Funeral
Harrow Times,  5 March 2009

THOUSANDS are expected to attend the funeral of a man who burned himself to death protesting about the civil war in Sri Lanka.

Murugathasan Varnakulasingham, 27, set fire to himself outside the United Nations headquarters in Geneva as a last resort to draw attention to the situation in his home country.

A note was found near his body saying he took this action because the Sri Lankan government is committing a genocide against innocent Tamils in the war-torn Asian country and nobody is taking any notice.

Mr Varnakulasingham, of Grange Avenue, Belmont, left his family on Tuesday, February 10, to fly to the Swiss city to join a protest against the Sri Lankan government's actions.

His family said he had spent recent weeks constantly watching news of death and destruction in his home country and had become increasingly distressed at the suffering of Tamils.

However, Mr Varnakulasingham never gave any indication of what he was going to do, and he told his family he would be home by the end of the week.

On Friday, February 13, after days of protesting, he poured petrol over his head and martyred himself outside the gates of the UN headquarters.

Mr Varnakulasingham's family told the Harrow Times they were sad he had died, but also proud that he had helped to save his people from genocide at the hands of the Sri Lankan government.

Mr Varnakulasingham's funeral is due to be held on Saturday, March 7, at the SKLP Sports and Community Centre in West End Road, Northolt, starting at 10am.

Thousands of people are expected to descend on the funeral from across Britain, and Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar, who is helping to organise it, urged people to leave their cars at home.

He said: “I would encourage anyone thinking of coming to travel by public transport as much as possible because there is only parking spaces for 1,000 people.”

After the memorial service at the centre, Mr Varnakulasingham's body will be taken to Hendon Crematorium.
 

British Tamils pay tribute to Varnakulasingham
[TamilNet, Sunday, 08 March 2009, 17:46 GMT]

Ten thousand British Tamil expatriates paid tribute Saturday, 7 Marh 2009 at the funeral of Murugathasan Varnakulasingham, 26, who self-immolated in front of the United Nations in Geneva in protest at the international inaction amid the mass killings of Tamils by the Sri Lankan military. "This man died not for himself but for us," the British Tamil Councillors and Associates group said, according to a BBC report. Mr Varnakulasingham’s family have said they were proud of his actions.

On the field at the back of the SKLP Sports and Community Centre in West End Road, Northolt, thousands of Tamils waited patiently to place flowers around Mr Varnakulasingham's coffin, which was draped in the national colours of the Tamils, the Harrow Times reported.

Politicians and community leaders lined up to condemn the actions of the Sri Lankan government. Steve Pound, MP for Ealing North, told the crowds: “You may lose a battle, you may lose a skirmish, but you will not lose the war. My country is part of the problem, and we must be part of the solution. We recognise genocide is a crime, not just against your people but a crime against all humanity. I promise you we cannot, must not, and will not stand by and let this slaughter continue.”

Mourners attended the service at Northolt community centre of the a computing graduate who declared his outrage against international inaction in a five-page letter found nearby after he self-immolated on Feb 13.

After the service, Mr Varnakulasingham's body was taken to Hendon Crematorium for a private burial watched by close friends and family.

His mother has been inconsolable since his death, but his family told the Harrow Times they were “proud” of the sacrifice he made in the name of the Tamil people.

Mr Varnakulasingham's brother-in-law, Thavaroopan Sinnathamby, 33, told the BBC: "He was a refugee in his own country before he came here, so he knew the pain of what the people were going through.

"He'd go to the demonstrations and no-one was bothering and he wanted to make an impact. I think he wanted to give his life, we feel proud for that."

“Lots of people were weeping, many, many people queued to make their way around the coffin,” said Thaya Idaikkadar, chairman of the British Tamil Councillors and Associates group.

“His death was not in vain. He achieved a lot, he is a hero for us and a son for all of us,” Mr Idaikkadar said.

Navin Shah, assembly member for Brent and Harrow, said: “This sacrifice is not only of an individual, but it is the ultimate sacrifice for his family for the cause of Tamil freedom.”




 

 

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