by Thavathiru Velan Swamigal, Chief Coordinator, Vaddukoddai-50 Ezhuchi Maanadu Organising Committee, Jaffna, June 20, 2026
Vaddukoddai – 50 Keynote Speech
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We Reclaim Our Nation
Today, we have gathered not merely to commemorate a historical event. Rather, we have come together to reflect upon a defining turning point in the history of the Eelam Tamil nation, to reassess its significance, and to chart the path forward.
Fifty years ago, on 14 May 1976, Tamil political leaders assembled in Vaddukoddai under the leadership of Thanthai Chelvanayakam and proclaimed, through the Vaddukoddai Resolution, their determination to reclaim the sovereignty and nationhood that had been lost.
This was not merely a political document; it was the expression of a nation’s political consciousness—a national declaration shaped by generations of sacrifice.
We cannot forget the circumstances that gave rise to the Vaddukoddai Resolution. For decades, Tamils pursued equality, language rights, educational rights, land rights, and political participation through democratic means. Yet, time and again, they encountered rejection, oppression, and the violence of Sinhala majoritarianism.
The “Sinhala Only Act” of 1956, the anti-Tamil pogroms of 1958, 1977, 1981, and 1983, discriminatory standardization policies in education, and state-sponsored colonization schemes all raised profound questions about the political future of the Tamil people.
It was against this backdrop that the Vaddukoddai Resolution emerged.
It was not a resolution born of anger.
It was a declaration of liberation.
It was not an expression of hatred.
It was the language of self-determination.
It was not a call for division; it was a commitment to reclaim a lost homeland.
It was a historic proclamation to the world of a nation’s political rights and right to statehood.
In the 1977 General Election, the Tamil people overwhelmingly endorsed the Vaddukoddai Resolution through a democratic mandate. This was the final opportunity afforded to the Tamil nation to express its political will democratically. Thereafter, Sinhala majoritarianism increasingly sought to suppress the voice of the Tamil people.
Today, fifty years later, we must ask ourselves:
Is the Vaddukoddai Resolution still relevant?
Our answer is clear:
Yes.
Because the Vaddukoddai Resolution is not a document confined to a particular period in history. It is a declaration of the fundamental political rights of the Eelam Tamil nation. It provides a roadmap towards ensuring that Tamils can live freely, securely, and with dignity, free from oppression.
The right to self-determination does not expire.
A people’s right to their homeland cannot be erased.
National identity cannot be extinguished.
The world has changed. Technology has advanced. Political realities have evolved. Yet the fundamental issues at the heart of the Tamil national question remain unresolved.
Therefore, Vaddukoddai-50 is not merely about remembering the past. It must also serve as an opportunity to shape the future…
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Tamil Guardian video on conference – https://youtu.be/Zfk9tdktRQc?si=hXAmLtndWQxulhK0
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IBC video of several speeches – https://youtu.be/8fVEOswWXQs?si=AZU286YUKPO8FS9U
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Announcement of events associated with Vaddukoddai 50 – https://youtu.be/huwJa8CoRMY?si=WP5aPcQY8fl23BBk
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IBC News about the June 20 conference [translated from original Tamil by Google Translate]
The “Vaddukoddai – 50 Resurgence Conference” is being held in Jaffna to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic Vaddukoddai Resolution.
The conference commenced today (June 20, 2026) at 2:00 PM at the Thanthai Chelva Hall in Jaffna.
The proceedings were inaugurated ceremonially with the lighting of the common flame and the laying of floral tributes at the memorial monument of Thanthai Chelva.
Proposed in 1976 as a political aspiration rooted in the historic sovereignty of the Eelam Tamil nation, the Vaddukoddai Resolution represented the unified and democratic political will of the Tamil people.
Through discussions and seminars, the conference aims to examine the political, legal, and sovereignty-related dimensions of the Vaddukoddai Resolution, while also facilitating an exchange of views on the future trajectory of Tamil nationalist politics.
A diverse group—including political representatives, civil society activists, academics, researchers, youth, and members of the general public—is participating in this event to articulate the aspirations of the Tamil people.