FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2026
FROM THE VANDALISM OF THE TAMIL GENOCIDE MONUMENT TO ACTS OF INTIMIDATION: A PATTERN OF SYSTEMIC TARGETING OF EELAMTAMILS IN CANADA
For decades, the identity of EelamTamils, the commemoration of victims of the Tamil genocide, and the expression of their collective identity have been systematically targeted by the Sri Lankan state and its affiliates, both within the island and across the diaspora. Legislative measures, including the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution and the Prevention of Terrorism Act, have been used to curtail fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, self-determination, and peaceful assembly. These legal frameworks have functioned as instruments of sustained repression. In parallel, processes of Sinhalaization and Buddhicization have been advanced through state-sponsored genocidal colonization and cultural transformation in Tamileelam, often carried out under the guise of archaeological or development initiatives. Against this broader backdrop of protracted genocide, “Voice of Global Tamil Rights” unequivocally condemns the recent racist attack on the “Tamil Genocide Monument” in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. This act of vandalism is not merely damage to property; it constitutes a direct affront to EelamTamils worldwide who continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones as a result of the ongoing genocide perpetrated by the Sri Lankan state in the occupied homeland of Tamileelam since the 1940s.
The vandalism follows a statement issued by the Sinhala nationalist political party “Sinhaladeepa Jathika Peramuna,” which called upon the Mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown, to dismantle the monument. The Sri Lankan government has, since the monument’s inception, demonstrated a clear and sustained interest in its removal. These developments are further compounded by earlier incidents that reflect a pattern of coordinated hostility. On January 27, 2025, an individual from Ontario, Canada associated with sanctioned war criminal, Mahinda Rajapakshe transmitted communications to Canadian elected officials and law enforcement agencies seeking to criminalize Tamil communities and activists for expressing their identity. These communications also denied the Tamil genocide and expressed support for the Sri Lankan state. Similarly, On November 21, 2025, following the hoisting of the Tamileelam national flag in the City of Brampton, coordinated acts of harassment and intimidation targeted prominent members of our organization. Subsequently, Sri Lankan foreign minister Vijitha Herath announced that he met Canada’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Isabelle Catherine Martin, where he pressed Ottawa to clamp down on Tamil political expression and activities linked to Tamil self-determination.
These incidents are not isolated. Rather, they form part of a persistent and coordinated pattern of hostility directed at EelamTamils, intended to silence advocacy, suppress fundamental rights, and erode the preservation of identity. Most recently, on March 7, 2026, during an International Women’s Day rally in Toronto, a police officer identifying himself as a community officer warned Tamil participants that displaying the Tamileelam national flag—an expression of their collective
historical identity—could result in criminal charges. Such statements raise serious concerns regarding the protection of constitutionally guaranteed freedoms in Canada. In light of these developments, These actions constitute serious infringements upon the dignity, rights, and identity of Canadian EelamTamils. As members of Canadian society, EelamTamils are guaranteed the full protection of their cultural and political expression, free from intimidation, surveillance, or reprisal. Furthermore, the Government of Canada and its allied states continue to provide financial and humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka without imposing meaningful accountability measures. This approach risks enabling ongoing genocide and creates conditions that embolden transnational efforts to suppress EelamTamil identity and advocacy.
Given the urgency of this situation, “Voice of Global Tamil Rights” calls upon elected representatives at all levels of government to take decisive and meaningful action. Addressing and preventing ongoing discrimination against Canadian EelamTamils requires the formal recognition of their identity, acknowledgment of their historical homeland of Tamileelam, and legal recognition of the Tamil genocide. While Canada has acknowledged the Tamil genocide at a political level, it has yet to establish formal legal recognition.
Such recognition necessitates concrete legal action, including pursuing accountability through international mechanisms such as the International Court of Justice. In this regard, reference is made to e-5058, a petition presented to the House of Commons by MP Shaun Chen (Scarborough North) on November 20, 2024 (Petition No. 441-02871). Absent such measures, EelamTamils in Canada will continue to face persistent threats, intimidation, and systemic marginalization within Canadian society.
Kumuthini Advocacy coordinator & media relations
(click to read the statement in pdf)
Vandalism of the Tamil genocide monument – Canada_260331_204123
