The Jaffna University Students’ Union has called on Tamil communities in the North and East to observe Sri Lanka’s National Independence Day as a national day of mourning, stating that independence has failed to secure equal rights or lasting justice for Tamil people.
The call comes amid a grassroots awareness campaign launched on January 27, during which university students traveled in groups to villages across the region to engage directly with the public. According to the Students’ Union, the initiative seeks to highlight what it describes as the continued marginalization of Tamil communities, even as the state prepares to commemorate National Independence Day with official celebrations.
The Jaffna University Students’ Union stated that the protest movement is being carried out with the participation of the people because, in its view, the Tamil population in the North and East continues to be denied fundamental rights on a day symbolizing national freedom. The Union argued that Independence Day has little relevance for communities that have yet to experience equality, dignity, or meaningful political solutions.
Reflecting on the post-independence history of the country, the Students’ Union noted that 78 years after Sri Lanka gained independence, successive political leaders have failed to address the core grievances of Tamil people in the North and East. It alleged that political power since independence has been exercised at the expense of these regions, resulting in their issues being repeatedly ignored and sidelined throughout decades of governance.
As part of its planned protest actions, the Jaffna University Students’ Union announced that black flags will be hoisted at the University of Jaffna on February 4 to symbolize mourning rather than celebration. Similar protest activities are also scheduled to take place in villages across the North and East, signaling a coordinated regional response intended to challenge the meaning of independence and to draw attention to unresolved injustices faced by Tamil communities since 1948.
