Demonstrators from both the British Tamil community and its supporters staged a mass rally to Downing Street today to call on the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, to boycott the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which is due to take place later this month in Sri Lanka.
“At its peak, almost 4,000 people took part in the rally, waving banners and placards describing the various human rights abuses, war crimes and acts of genocide the Sri Lankan state stands accused of committing against the Tamils.” says the BTF. Demonstrators also displayed messages calling on David Cameron and Prince Charles to avoid lending legitimacy to a state that continues to smear “blood on its hands”.
At the end of the procession, six members of British Tamils Forum presented a petition on behalf of the crowd to 10 Downing Street, calling on the Prime Minister to boycott the summit in order to send the strongest possible message that the UK would not tolerate Sri Lanka’s historical and continuing violations of international law. The petition also called for the Commonwealth to suspend Sri Lanka and demanded that those responsible for perpetrating acts of genocide against the Tamil people must be held to account by the international community.
Only yesterday the Leader of the Opposition, Ed Miliband MP, reiterated to British Tamils Forum members that the Labour Party stands firmly opposed to the UK government’s decision to participate in CHOGM in Sri Lanka.
We publish below the petition in full;
Rt Hon David Cameron MP Prime Minister
10 Downing Street Westminster
London SW1A 2AA
Dear Prime Minister
Boycott CHOGM in Sri Lanka
British Tamils Forum (BTF) on behalf of the Tamil people in Britain wishes to express our dismay at your decision to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Sri Lanka.
Although you had expressed grave concerns at the abysmal human rights situation in Sri Lanka, you have stated that you will attend the meeting and give a strong message to the Sri Lankan leadership.
As you are aware, the Sri Lankan state massacred more than 70,000 innocent men women and children and executed prisoners of war in cold blood. Nearly 147,000 people remain unaccounted for since the end of the war. Yet the Sri Lankan regime continues to defy calls for an independent inquiry, denying any wrongdoing, despite emerging irrefutable evidence.
The Sri lankan regime with the advice of their highly paid PR firms have been trying to launder their murderous image by organising international events, seminars and conferences in which the Sri Lankan President speaks, repeating their denial of any wrongdoing.
The CHOGM in Sri Lanka is yet another of these image laundering exercises by the Sri Lankan state. These events only give legitimacy to the Sri Lankan regime which continues its genocidal programmes against the Tamil people.
As recently as 31 August 2013 the regime has subjected Tamil women of a village to enforced contraception, after alluring them to a clinic in the pretext of vaccinating their young children. The regime continues to erase Tamil people’s identity in the island, most recently on 30 October 2013 when a Hindu temple in Dambulla was demolished by a group of Buddhist monks while the police gave them protection.
The Sri Lankan state has grabbed 6300 acres of Tamil people’s land for its military expansion and is demolishing their homes at a time when there is an enormous need to build more houses in the war ravaged areas. It has driven out Tamil fisherfolk from their coastal villages and Tamil farmers from their farmland. Sinhala people brought in from the south are being settled in these places, depriving the Tamil people of their property, shelter and their right to earn a living.
The attacks on journalists and news printing facilities, abduction and enforced disappearances by the notorious “white van” death squads, rape and murder of Tamil women in the hands of the occupying all Sinhala military and their affiliated paramilitaries are common occurrences.
These acts of genocide will continue unabated until the international community takes decisive and effective actions against the Sri Lankan state.
The Canadian Prime Minister has rightly taken a principled stance against holding the meeting in Sri Lanka and has sent a clear and strong message to the Sri Lankan regime, admonishing it for the continuing violations for human rights of the Tamil people.
We believe that your boycott from this summit, clearly stating the reasons, will be the strongest message you can deliver to the Sri Lankan regime. Suspending Sri Lanka from Commonwealth and holding it to account for its genocidal acts, while providing protection to the Tamil people through a UN protection mechanism, is the need of the hour.
Please reconsider you decision to attend the meeting in Sri Lanka.
Yours faithfully,
Ravi Kumar General Secretary
Goat A / November 3, 2013
The Tamils fight for their rights, why are the muslims on their back foot, they should find a proper leader.
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rumi / November 3, 2013
You mad? A leader among Muslims? Current day Muslim ‘leaders’ are there only to fill their own pockets and drown the voice of the next man trying to amass more wealth than himself on the pretext of being the true leader of the community. See the petty infighting, cut-throatism and jealousy among themselves.
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Amarasiri / November 4, 2013
Goat A
“The Tamils fight for their rights, why are the muslims on their back foot, they should find a proper leader.”
They need to find a group of leaders. If not ghey will have the RW problem UNP is facing.
That way they can dump the fossils…
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kris / November 4, 2013
These dole blugers do not have anything to do, when they were in SL they survive on government supplies and attack the government, now they wasting UK tax payers money
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / November 3, 2013
almost 4,000 people
Andawane, how far the LTTE diaspora has fallen from the howling heights of early (pre-Nandikadal) 2009 :(
And given their propensity for inflating numbers by orders of magnitude, that “4,000” was probably more like 40 :D
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Saro / November 3, 2013
Even the “zero civilian casualty” champions Gotabaya and Mahinda Rajapaksas settled with 9,000 casualties.
There were 456,000 people lived in the region according to the then Government Agent of Mullaitivu. 310,000 surrendered against the persistant claim of 70,000 by the government. Simple arithmatic says 146,000 are unaccounted for. UN Panel of Experts u8sed random sampling to arrive at the owest range of 40,000 unaccounted. UN Internal Panel estimated in cess of 70,000 casualties.
Unless an impartial independent committee with representatives of ALL the parties concerned investigate the truth cannot be established. If any party is against an independent investigation then the conclusion is obvious that that party is quilty of killings as charged.
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Fathima Fukushima / November 3, 2013
Unfortunately there was no Tamil genocide.
If Tamils were genocided, we don’t have to put up with 3,000,000 Tamils today!
In vain!
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Maveeran / November 3, 2013
Fathima [Edited out]. Why dont you too protest for the buddhist monks in Burma who are killing the Muslimes like cockroaches? Why only shout behind a pc? I’l carve you like ham you sob.
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Native Vedda / November 3, 2013
Maveeran
Your name suggests that you are dead LTTE fighter.
Are you a ghost?
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Fathima Fukushima / November 3, 2013
Siva,
Fizzled out!
Soon Muslims will marry all Tamilians in UK and they will be Muslim.
Tamil Diaspora has no future. They are forced integrated into the majority society. Mohammad is already the most popular name in UK.
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Imtiaz / November 3, 2013
What!!! Muslims to marry Tamils? You must be nuts. Muslims have better choice.
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Native Vedda / November 3, 2013
Imtiaz
“Muslims have better choice.”
In Saudi, you mean.
Nails, slavery, losing your limps, chopped heads, …. are your choices, then who are we to complain about them.
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Maveeran / November 3, 2013
Muslims to marry Tamils? Looool Even if Muims were the last choice on this planet Tamils would never marry a Misslim. Why would anyone want to wear a round hat and turn it around incase one side gets dirty. And no waman wants to end up looking like a bin bag in those hijabs and burka lol. Why will any one want to matry a Muslum and be depressed all their? What kind of human being will want to be part of Islam which brainwashes people to kill non-muslim or stone people to death? What kind of religion tells you to cut the women’s clitoris of the woman who commits adultery? Islam is a depression to the society and I bet no tamils nor Sinhalese would want to marry any Muslims.
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Native Vedda / November 3, 2013
Maveeran
“Islam which brainwashes people to kill non-muslim”
I got your point. You seem to point out a qualitative difference between your Tamil Saiva LTTE and Jihadis.
Jihadis kill infidels and LTTE killed all and sundry, one might say LTTE was practicing secular Killing.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / November 4, 2013
Tamils would never marry a Misslim
But a dog on the other hand:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7093422.stm
How is Mrs Selvakumar doing these days :D
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Snowdon Asange / November 4, 2013
sadly you are off track… get ur facts and u’d be amazed as to how many TAMILS and sinhalese willigly married Muslims… aay be living in western county and do NOT know the ground realities… yeah Dispora with ill gotten information… you accuse others of being behind a computer and say stuff, while u call urself Maveeran? enlighten of the VEERAN part of what you have accomplished ….Sitting behind a computer in a western country IS NOT a Maveeran, you were NOT a pair of boots on the ground….in SL..
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Maveeran / November 3, 2013
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Native Vedda / November 3, 2013
Maveeran
Go on I am listening.
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Maveeran / November 3, 2013
Muslims to marry Tamils? Looool Even if Muims were the last choice on this planet Tamils would never marry a Misslim. Why would anyone want to wear a round hat and turn it around incase one side gets dirty. And no waman wants to end up looking like a bin bag in those hijabs and burka lol. Why will any one want to marry a Muslum and be depressed all their life? What kind of human being will want to be part of Islam which brainwashes people to kill non-muslim or stone people to death? What kind of religion tells you to cut the clitoris of the woman who commits adultery? Islam is a depression to the society and I bet no tamils nor Sinhalese would want to marry any Muslims.
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Duhwood Blocker / November 3, 2013
@Siva Sankaran Blacker Sarma
How much does Gotapaiya pay you to post comments under your new name? So according to your boss’s statistics was it zero casualties or 40,000 or more Tamil civilians who were killed during the last days of the war? :D
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Ram / November 3, 2013
LTTE’s own ‘Miley Cyrus’, Issipriya, a colonel no less in the terror group, as depicted in the Ch 4 video made no impression on the soldiers capturing her. She was even forced to wear garments handed to her.
A later picture allegedly of the same person lying on the ground apparently dead was described by the newsreader as ‘obviously been sexually molested’ with no evidence whatsoever. All of the outlandish claims made by the Tamil terrorist rump in the West fails the same smell test.
Ed Milliband and his brother David were both very gung ho going on to invade Iraq on cooked up ‘evidence’ and we are still waiting for the Chilcot report on that illegal war which resulted in the deaths of 500,000 on the most conservative estimates, as as high as 1.5 million in others. It is reportedly being suppressed for the last several months. Sri Lanka should hold a similar enquiry a few years down the line into it’s own annhilation of the Tamil terror group..
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Native Vedda / November 3, 2013
Ram
“LTTE’s own ‘Miley Cyrus’, Issipriya, a colonel no less in the terror group,”
May I take this opportunity to remind you that Gota was a Lieutenant Colonel and was in charge of that area when Matale massacres took place.
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Banda / November 3, 2013
Its over ten years after the start of the Iraq war we are still waiting for the Iraq Inquiry report chaired by Sir John Chilcot. Let us know the truth even if there is no way of holding Bush and Blair to account for their crimes.
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Native Vedda / November 4, 2013
Banda
What is your point if there is one?
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Maveeran / November 3, 2013
A pig under the disguise of Siva Sankar Sarma. Why is that you Muslims are crying and shouting in pain when the Tamils are protesting for their right? Why don’t you face towards Mecca, I’l give you a kick in your to boost your chances of going to heaven?
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Max Silva / November 3, 2013
“At it’s peak almost 4000 people took part in the rally”.Well why didn’t you publish a photo with 4000 people?These Defeated Tamil terrorists are experts in lying through their teeth.May be the 4000 disappeared after enjoying the free hamburger.A damn set of clowns!
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Vibhushana / November 3, 2013
lemmings really.
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JimSofty / November 3, 2013
SOME Tamils have the inferiority complex of that they have everything EXCEPT their own Country. They know it is infutile to fight for their OWN STATE IN INDIA.
So they try to FCUK British who is paying for their past KARMA and CAMERON who represents that REGIME.
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Ajith / November 3, 2013
Most Sinhalese have the superiority complex that they are born to Lion. That is why they are happy to a have jungle rule and enjoy killing of people. It is the reason that bloodshed is a continuous feature in Sri Lanka.
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Native Vedda / November 3, 2013
Ajith
“That is why they are happy to a have jungle rule”
Seriously what do you know about jungle rule?
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Native Vedda / November 3, 2013
JimSofty
“SOME Tamils have the inferiority complex”
No they have superiority complex and the Sinhala/Buddhists have inferiority complex.
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Max Silva / November 3, 2013
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Native Vedda / November 4, 2013
Max Silva
Best ever, go on I am listening.
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Rationalist / November 3, 2013
Why are these Tamil Diasporans so much against the CHOGM? If what they say is true, the best way to show the British PM, is to let him go to Sri Lanka and see the carnage that is taking place.
Are they afraid to show the UK PM that the North and East are now free of the LTTE and at Peace, after thirty odd years of Terrorism?
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Native Vedda / November 3, 2013
Rationalist
“Why are these Tamil Diasporans so much against the CHOGM?”
If you didn’t put pressure on the UK PM he would not have agreed to visit the area where “the carnage that is taking place”.
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Ram / November 3, 2013
The ‘asylum’ seekers who had travelled vast distances instead of going to India next door have to show cause as to why they should NOT be deported back to Sri Lanka. They will never go BACK to sniffy India. If it was deemed safe then their continued presense in the West where they are NOT really welcome, has to come to an end. The pretense has to be maintained that Sri Lanka is still unsafe to go to. Also those who paid the LTTE terrorists vast sums of money to ‘disappear’ from Sri Lanka and re-appear in Canada must have the time to profit from the ‘investment’
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Ram / November 3, 2013
Ian Botham and Mahela Jayawardena were on a walkabout in this area (where the carnage is allegedly taking place) alongside Tamil civilians engaged in friendly banter in support of a charity.
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Athula / November 3, 2013
Do I see the LTTE flags in the midst? – yes, I do.
The attempt at supremacy through terror has failed. Sri Lanka is an example to the whole world – when all fails, eliminate. The long-distance terrorists of the Europe, America and Australia may bray – but the caravan goes on. It is evident that all these countries encourages the Sri Lankan government to sort matters out whilst placating the somewhat foolish diaspora. If you have the courage, come and see the reality – and that is that the Tamils are better off now in the North than when they were when subjugated by the higher -cast land owners and then the despicable Prabhakaran.
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Maveeran / November 3, 2013
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Native Vedda / November 3, 2013
Maveeran
Brilliant comment. Where is the rest?
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Maveeran / November 4, 2013
[Edited out]
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Native Vedda / November 4, 2013
Maveeran
I can’t wait to read the rest.
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ela kolla / November 3, 2013
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Native Vedda / November 4, 2013
ela kolla
Really thought provoking.
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gamini / November 3, 2013
I believe Callum Macrae has more devastating evidence against the MR regime of War Crimes, which he will release just before the CHOGM making it difficult for a self respecting Leader to attend the Conference. I am reminded here what happened to Premadasa when he was planning to host the SAARC Conference where India boycotted at the last minute and there commenced the down turn of Premadasa. I wonder whether History will repeat for MR as well, as MR richly deserve it.
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Max Silva / November 4, 2013
No such luck in this case as long as Ranil is the UNP leader.Long reign and live Ranil!
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ram / November 5, 2013
India has kept Macrae kicking his heels for the last 8 months for a visa that he’d applied for 8 months ago. India seems to recognise him for what he is.
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Thondamanaru / November 4, 2013
“Jaya Wewa”
This is what happens when one stuff a leech under ones loin cloth for medicinal purpose.
Before long ……….know …what the feeling or the pain going to be?
Experience it in due course…………
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demon silva / November 4, 2013
thondamanaru welcome back to the world. Just released !! How doe the fresh air smell? [Edited out] Now that he is not going any where have you got to get back ? poor sod. anyway enjoy the freedom you have and breathe in all the fresh air you can get. bye mate
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mahasohon / November 4, 2013
What happened? Did it make any diference to Cameron’s participation at CHOGM?
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BBS Rep / November 4, 2013
Hello people,
Your biases are pathetic. Race and Religion is the root cause of all evil that befell Sri Lanka. You people are still rooted in the holes of race and religion. Get out and walk free.
In the meantime try Buddhist meditation.
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Native Vedda / November 4, 2013
BBS Rep
“In the meantime try Buddhist meditation.”
Have you?
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BBS Rep / November 5, 2013
Hello NV,
I do try. Not easy to shut out the human madness that surrounds one these days.
Unfortunately I am part of this terrible race called humans. I try to do my bit of good, no matter how insignificant.
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Native Vedda / November 7, 2013
BBS Rep
“Unfortunately I am part of this terrible race called humans. I try to do my bit of good, no matter how insignificant.”
Love ever hurt never.
Love all serve all.
First you stop hating yourself which will stop you from hating others.
You don’t need meditation.
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Snowdon Asange / November 4, 2013
LMAO lQQk who is talking about terrorism….definition of terrorism… a person/persons who cause TERROR in the minds of others..
Yep in this context… BUSH and Blair too can be called terrorist, coz people on the streets of Baghdad or anywhere in Afghanistan were terrorized by them and their proxies… so is BBS…
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Rationalist / November 4, 2013
Hello BBS Rep,
I see you have changed your Tune.
Did you ‘In the Meantime try Buddhist Meditation’.?
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BBS Rep / November 5, 2013
Hello Rationalist,
Well, I do try. Not easy to still the mind, with the cacophony of human chaos that reach such high crescendoes. I am but a human being, a laymen, not a monk nor an arahat. But I will keep trying. At least I try to maintain my universal compassion.
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Snowdon Asange / November 4, 2013
I bet more than 95 % of thee guys in the pic’s claimed Asylum in UK and neighboring countries after paying for their passage to illegally enter UK.. and submit forged doc’s..with cooked up stories. Now they are scared that they would be deported back to SL by the UK (which is suffering economically after FEEDING these goons.) stating that there is NO terror NOW.
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