A Condemnation and Call for Justice Preserving Tamil Historical Memory Amidst Acts of Desecration ABC Tamil Oli, Wimal Navaratnam, Human Rights Activist June 26, 2025 “When we destroy the monuments of our past, we do not erase history—we wound the soul of our identity. Justice for Thanthai Chelva is not just about restoring a statue, it’s about reaffirming who we are as a people.” — Wimal Navaratnam, Human Rights Activist Introduction In the early hours of June 25, 2025, a statue of S.J.V. Chelvanayakam , fondly known as “Thanthai Chelva” (Father Chelva), was vandalized and beheaded in Mannar . Chelvanayakam is revered as a foremost leader in Sri Lanka’s Tamil history, often called the *father of the Tamil nation* for his pivotal role in championing Tamil rights and self-determination. The desecration of his statue has prompted widespread outrage among Tamil political figures, community leaders, and residents. This report details the incident, situates it in historical contex...

Briefing Note:  Volker Türk's Visit to Sri Lanka Overview of the Visit By: Wimal Navaratnam, Human Rights Activist, Brampton Canada, June 26, 2025, 12:03 PM Background and Overview of the Visit United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk conducted an official visit to Sri Lanka from 23 to 26 June 2025 , the first such visit by a UN human rights chief in nearly a decade. The visit came ahead of a UN Human Rights Council session in September where Sri Lanka’s wartime accountability commitments would be scrutinized. According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR), Türk’s itinerary included Colombo (the capital) as well as the Tamil-majority regions of Trincomalee in the Eastern Province, Jaffna in the Northern Province, and the city of Kandy in the central highlands. In Colombo, he met the Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, key ministers, and opposition figures. Critically, he was also scheduled to ...