Several persons whose families became victims of Black July were among them.

In one voice, the gathering said no to another Black July.

Black July marks a decisive indicating point in the Ethnic conflict of Sri Lanka and is the common name used to refer to the anti-Tamil pogrom and riots in Sri Lanka during July 1983. As violent Sinhalese groups attacked Tamil targets, burning, looting and killing, many Tamils fled the country, putting out roots of the Tamil Diaspora.