Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement today to mark the 40th anniversary since the 1983 anti-Tamil pogrom where thousands of Tamils were killed by state-sponsored Sinhala mobs.
In his statement, Trudeau said:
“The brutality of Black July escalated tensions in what became a decades-long armed conflict that led to the death of tens of thousands of people, and trauma that communities continue to endure today.”
“On this sombre day, we join Tamil-Canadians and Tamil communities around the world to remember the victims, honour the survivors, and recommit ourselves to always stand against hate and violence,” he added.
Trudeau also highlighted that after Black July, thousands of Tamils fled Sri Lanka to find safety in other countries. He noted that at the time, the Canadian government estbalished a Special Measures program in 1983 and “1,800 Tamil people chose to come to Canada to build a new life – creating one of the largest Tamil diasporas in the world.”
Yesterday, Trudeau met with Tamil victim-suvivors to listen to their testimonies from Black July.
“I had the opportunity to meet with many Tamil-Canadians to hear their tragic memories of Black July, join them in honouring the memories of those lost, and thank them for the many important contributions they have made – and continue to make – to our country,” he said in his statement.