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Roy Wignarajah is a Tamil genocide survivor and prominent human rights advocate based in Toronto, Canada. He serves as the Minister for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities with the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), and is a Tamil Community Representative with the Alliance of Genocide Victim Communities (AGVC).

With lived experience of Sri Lanka’s genocide against Tamils, Roy brings a deeply personal perspective to his global advocacy, using testimony, public education, and policy engagement to push for recognition, justice, and prevention of mass atrocities.

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Advocacy and Leadership

• Lead TGTE’s global genocide prevention portfolio, working to strengthen legal and policy responses to atrocity crimes.

• Engages in coalition-building with other genocide-affected communities, including Uyghur, Rohingya, and Tutsi groups, to advance solidarity-based advocacy and policy reform.

• Played a key role in public campaigns urging international recognition of the Tamil genocide, lobbying Canadian institutions, international governments, and UN mechanisms.

• Advocates for justice, accountability, and diaspora inclusion in transitional justice processes, refugee protections, and international human rights forums.

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Public Voice and Media Presence

Roy is frequently featured in international press releases, public events, and remembrance forums. He has spoken on panels and at commemorative ceremonies including UN Genocide Remembrance Day events, and regularly issues statements on international human rights developments.

In a statement responding to the U.S. recognition of Rohingya genocide, Roy declared:

“We, the Eelam Tamils who are also subjected to genocide and who are longing for justice, hold the hands of the Rohingya people in solidarity.”
— TGTE Press Release, EIN Presswire

He has also urged Canadian oversight bodies to investigate ties between Canadian police officials and Sri Lankan authorities implicated in atrocities, highlighting the risks of legitimizing actors accused of genocide.

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Personal Mission and Voice

As a genocide survivor, Roy speaks with emotional clarity and moral urgency. He often reminds audiences that justice for Tamils is inseparable from global prevention efforts, emphasizing the need to confront impunity and recognize survivor leadership in rebuilding communities.

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“When the world looks away, the cycle repeats. Recognition and justice for Tamils is not just about the past—it is about preventing the next genocide.”

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Why He’s a Powerful Speaker

• Authenticity: Speaks as a survivor, offering lived testimony and first-hand insight into trauma, loss, and resilience.

• Global solidarity-builder: Connects Tamil struggles to wider anti-genocide movements, fostering cross-community learning.

• Policy and justice-oriented: Frames survivor stories within legal and structural reforms to prevent mass atrocities.

• Skilled communicator: Appears across video, press, and live events; delivers emotional and strategic narratives that resonate widely.

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Signature Topics

• The Tamil genocide: recognition, accountability, and memory

• Survivor-led approaches to atrocity prevention

• Diaspora resilience and trauma-informed advocacy

• Solidarity between genocide-affected communities

• Justice reform and international legal accountability

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