The Prime Minister (PM) David Cameron’s decision to attend the summit despite the continuing call by the Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper’s Government as well as Human Rights Organisations and the Tamils around the world to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lank sets the wrong precedence. A spokesperson for the Queen, who is the head of the Commonwealth, has confirmed that it would be the first time since 1973 the head of the Commonwealth would not be present at an important summit for the group.
David Cameron and Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka has failed on the fundamental values of the Commonwealth, such as Democracy, Human rights, Tolerance, Respect and understanding, Separation of powers, Rule of law, Freedom of expression and Good governance.
The PM’s decision has angered the British Tamils and the rational to his decision is baseless. Sri Lanka has failed to implement any of the positive recommendations of its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), which a United Nations (UN) resolution (19.L.2) adopted in the Human Rights Council (HRC) in March 2012 called for. Furthermore Sri Lanka has categorically rejected the HRC resolution (22/L.1) which was adopted in March 20013.
In November 2012, the Foreign Affairs Committee in its report urged the PM to announce his unwillingness to attend the CHOGM in Sri Lanka. His actions will also put Her Majesty the Queen in a difficult position in sending a representation on her behalf when Human Rights Organisations are calling for a Boycott or a venue change.
The PM to announce his intention to attend six months in advance is ill-timed and will be seen as a clear message to encourage the other heads of States to attend the summit since there are many supports for the boycott call. When Britain should be taking the leadership in promoting Human Rights and uphold the Commonwealth values, the PM has opted to ignore the appalling Human Rights record of Sri Lanka.
Allowing Sri Lanka to host CHOGM 2013 will automatically give Sri Lanka the chair-in-office for the next two years and allowing an alleged war criminal to chair the 53 Nations of Commonwealth Heads of Governments.
Britain is making a historic mistake in its own responsibility towards its commitment to the Human Rights and the Commonwealth values and the Commonwealth is becoming increasingly irrelevant.
We sincerely hope that the PM rethinks his decision and put Human Rights in front of any business deals that will come out of the Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF) which will take place in conjunction with the CHOGM 2013.
The British Tamils Forum (BTF) is calling for expulsion of Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth and change the venue for CHOGM 2013. We believe that the PM should take the leadership and shift CHOGM 2013 to the UK and making it convenient for the Queen to attend.
By British Tamils Forum
Ben Hurling / May 8, 2013
WOW!
“British Ealam Forum” has truly transformed itself. Overnight. Must have been some doing.
See what they are talking about:
“fundamental values of the Commonwealth, such as Democracy, Human rights, Tolerance, Respect and understanding, Separation of powers, Rule of law, Freedom of expression and Good governance”. Ha..ha!
“British Ealam Forum” had no trouble backing up VP’s killing spree in Sri Lanka for 30 years. Where were the so called “values” then?
Now all they do is screaming about promoting Human Rights and upholding Commonwealth values. I am a bit suspicious about this sudden, barrage of human kindness coming from the “British Ealam Forum”.
I would love to see CHOGM cancelled in Sri Lanka. Funds used elsewhere. Like in rebuilding the north of SL.
I would also love to see Rajapassa put under massive pressure and exposed as a dictator.
However, I am apprehensive about waging that struggle with a bunch of closet & open Ealamists. They are looking to divide Sri Lanka at the first available opportunity.
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Soni / May 8, 2013
Agree with Ben Hurling on the above statement..
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Romesh Senewiratne / May 9, 2013
I agree with Ben. Also wondering when the “Commonwealth” (aka British Empire) started protecting, rather than further exploiting the oppressed.
The history of cargo slavery and its transformation into global economic slavery in more recent times; how the jewels in the Queen’c crown were acquired; what was done to the hands of the Indian tailors in the interests of developing the Manchester Textile Industry; the ban on Indians making salt or weaving cloth; the treatment (including genocide) of Indigenous people around the world; the brutal concentration camps for Dutch women and children during the Boer War; the mass-murder and torture of Kenyan freedom fighters in the 1960s; the plundering of ancient civilizations’ treasures for British museums…let alone the wars they convinced the natives to fight for them in an effort to keep the empire growing.
No, I’m not sure the Brits have a good track record when it comes to human rights, respect and understanding.
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Dev / May 9, 2013
So why is your government so desperate to host the event?
Also bid for the games ….LOL
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Romesh Senewiratne / May 10, 2013
It’s not my government. I don’t live in Sri Lanka.
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Mahela / May 11, 2013
It is Sinhala extrimists who created Tamil terrorists who fought a 30 year war. What happened after the war where MR had the best opportunity to reconcile and win the hearts and minds of tamil community.
But infact of doing that MR was consolidating more power with 18th amendment and strengthening Family Dynasty.
It is nobody else but MR who made way for the second LTTE uprising paving way for both International community, Tamil diaspora, India and the local population where this time there seems to be no way out.
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Safa / May 8, 2013
Is Cameron going to wait till November to deliver his strong message? By then it will be nearly two years since the murder of Khurram Sheik by a protege of Rajapakse. Is this the way he looks after his own citizens. Deliver your message now and skip CHOGM if there are no result. Give Rajapakse one month to get justice done.
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JimSofty / May 8, 2013
Only thing I know If Tamils lands on a particular ship that starts sinking.
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Candidly / May 9, 2013
Yes, these are the same people, the British Tamils Forum, who in an earlier incarnation only 4 years ago refused to demand that the Tamil Tigers separate themselves from the Tamil civilians they were holding as a human shield and as hostages. And now they have the cheek to talk about human rights!
Still, Mr Cameron and Prince Charles will need good security. The Tigers don’t like people who defy them and they have a long arm. Remember what they did to Rajiv Gandhi and President Premadasa? Even a year ago they were the only group that succeeded in disrupting the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in London, and seemed to get away with it.
And are we again to see the disgraceful sight of assorted British MPs this year on May 19th standing alongside BTF members and Tamil Tiger flags in London’s Trafalgar Square? For this is what we have witnessed for the last 3 years as BTF members and the LTTE rump along with some of Mr Cameron’s own MPs pretend to mourn the deaths of Tamil civilians that resulted from Tamil Tiger fanaticism and their own collusion with it.
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Candidly / May 10, 2013
I understand that this year the BTF are going to have a march from Marble Arch to Waterloo Place this year. Still, it will be interesting to see how many Tamil Tiger flags there will be this year, and how many UK politicians either take part or send messages of support.
But two thing can be more or less guaranteed: (1) there will no criticism of the LTTE for using the lower caste Tamils as their cannon fodder and human shields during the conflict; (2) there will be no demand for an investigation into how the LTTE were able to finance their murderous organisation for so many years.
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Watching With Patience / May 9, 2013
What is the msg do we all get from this situation?. The underlying msg , is that we need to re-look at the options and the possibilities of reconciliation with Tamils and the moor community.
Until that happens we are simply fooling ourselves and riding on and thinking we are at the top of the mountain, least realising the fall will be greater than the normal or we won’t even know when the carpet is pulled under our feet.
It is fact, that these 2 communities have lived side by side for God knows how many centuries. Some have even inter married and the communal harmony in whatever sense you may look at did exists.
Over the years for various, political ,personal, superiority complex reasons we have marginalised the minority, never mind how strong or weak they were.
The Independence to this country of ours did not come because the Sinhalese stood up, but because of Tamil leaders who stood with and by them in Our country’s aspirations’ and future.
From DS, SWRD, Dudley, SB,JR,RP,DB,CBK and MR – (not so much RP and CBK) – marginalised the minority, resulting in divisions and depriving them of a reasonable opportunity and their rights.
Simple reason is to be elected back into power, nothing more, used the racial card to rule the country, of course now it is the religious card which has been played.
The War is over, so now what? after for 4 years ?. just rolling on, we don’t even acknowledge that there was a problem, we only talk about VP or the forums or some related Tamil associations or organisations.
For goodness sake , look at the mirror people, VP is dead and gone, it is no point talking about his rule or his times or what he thought. That episode is closed. We like to dual in the past and it is a scape goat for a no resolution in the future.
We Sri Lankans or especially the Sinhalese always love to talk about our past, what our kings did, what our queens did or who was famous, well its ok to do that, but what about the future ? (This is where our focus should be.)
Any Plans how we would survive globally, Human rights, Peace amongst minorities ,Brain Drain (seems nothing left) , social justice , learn from our mistakes – after all we now have peace , don’t we ?
Until we listen to what the minorities are saying especially their grievances’ ( if we listened then and adjusted ourselves we wouldn’t have been in this situation in the 1st place) , make consolatory mends, resolve issues ( without fear or favour), respect their identities, and have a live and let live policy , we will have all these outside forums, pressure, government in exile will be haunting us, What VP couldn’t achieve in 30 years, it looks like if we keep neglecting the minority issues, they would achieve that in 1/3rd of that time. So let’s not put fuel for that, instead be smart, realistic and recognise the issues and act on it.
The fault is not in our star’s my friends , it is indeed in us, time and again it has been proved.
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ashoka weerakkody / May 9, 2013
Prime Minister Cameron is setting an example in statesmanship and diplomacy by attending the CHOGM summit in Sri Lanka. Canada can boycott as they are just another member of the Commonwealth being neither the current Chair nor the HQ of the British Commonwealth and as a sovereign country they are not restrained by anyone to do whichever pleases their citizenry that includes the LTTE fall-out in large measure. The Queen is sending the next King of England on behalf of the Crown and the presence of British PM can help all leaders of the Commonwealth gathered here to understand the Sri Lankan situation better with first hand experience rather than readily aligning with Tamil fora sentiments to black-list and banish Sri Lanka at their whims and fancies, thereby becoming violators themselves of world’s democracy in a much larger scale. CHOGM is held every two years within the old British territory itself to keep it together in the face of all challenges to democracy and good governance they themselves left behind and to boycott this particular summit is simply suicidal for the British monarchy and parliamentary system hence the decision of Mr Cameron is in the best interest of all except the narrow minded extremist elements not to mention sympathizers of terrorism.
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Chandra / May 9, 2013
Since BTF failed to persuade the British government to boycott CHOGM, their leadership should resign and make way for a fresh group to take over. Time to show Tamils are capable of learning lessons and moving forward with a democratic agenda!
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Ram2009 / May 9, 2013
” Sri Lanka has failed on the fundamental values of the Commonwealth, such as Democracy, Human rights, Tolerance, Respect and understanding, Separation of powers, Rule of law, Freedom of expression and Good governance “
The UK ministers are still searching for ways to rid the country of (Muslim) terrorists and sympathisers (the only unwelcome kind) and are at war with the Judiciary, both in Britian and in the EU. The Tamil terrorists who sought sanctuary are still welcome, because ‘they have committed no crime here’.
The British Tamil Forum (an offshoot of the vile racist LTTE) still want ‘democracy’ in Sri Lanka, but ONLY of the kind they demanded from the British prior to independence, ie 50% parliamentary seats for their 12% ‘ethnic’ group and 2 exclusive Tamil provinces (almost a third of the land mass with a near 2/3rd of the coast )
The BTF also want Freedom of Expression, of the kind that was available to their political opponents in the North of Sri Lanka. Most are long dead and buried (by the LTTE).
The Rajapakse government does have it’s shortcomings, but it provides an environment in which to do what you will within the law, something that the Sri Lankans lacked for some 33 years while terrorised by those ‘democracy loving’ LTTE.
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Nagul / May 9, 2013
Please note that attending to CHOGM is supporting genocide, as we know what happening in North and East of Srilanka.
– Land Grapping by force
– Military present (compare to other places like south and west)
Talking the past done by the non-existing leaders (Including UK and other world leaders)is not going to help to reconciliation. See the present and live with the present situation. Be a Tamil civilian in North and East of Srilanka, then you will tell the truth. Do not be tried to fool the world by telling the lies. Unfortunately, the world leaders know what happening in the Srilanka not only Tamils but also Sinhalese and Muslims as well. However, they are keeping them in silent. I am still believing that the truth is always win and I am fight for my believe.
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fred / May 9, 2013
For sheer bloody cheek, the British Tamils Forum is hard to beat. These fellows who are there in Britain only because the British government saw fit to let them in – despite their dubious claims of discrimination and persecution in Sri Lanka – now see fit to repay that kindness with arrogant directions to the British government and the British PM on how they should handle the CHOGM meeting in Sri Lanka. Some cheek!
For the likes of the BTF, ‘showing leadership’ means championing the cause of the BTF. Thankfully, the British government is more sensible. It has been around long enough and is possessed of practical, good sense. If the British government was indeed to sever ties with every country which has been accused of such things as ‘human rights abuses’ with whom would Britain conduct trade or be otherwise engaged? Consider, for example, what it would do with Saudi Arabia, Israel, India, Pakistan, Russia, Zimbabwe – or even the US – all countries who have been accused, time and again, of human rights abuses. If Britain was to follow the advice’ of the BTF, Britain would find itself in glorious isolation! I seriously doubt that the British would be so silly.
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truth_seeker / May 10, 2013
When is BTF going to learn that British government policies are no longer going to be influence by human rights issues but by economic issues? I think Cameron’s decision has lot to do with the timely announce of purchase of aircraft engines from RR by the SL government. At a time when the British government is going all out to drum up businesses for UK industries it is not going to miss an opportunity like that by jeopardising a potentially significant business deal by antagonising the SL government. The same is true with the Australian government. It has realised that working with the SL government gives it more economic benefits (by way of reducing bogus asylum seekers) rather than listening to self-serving tamil Diaspora. Canadian fools are still to realise this. If the British or any other so called Western nations stop dealing with those countries that are accused of human rights violations, they would experience significant economic repercussions. Further, British and Australian governments are beginning to realise that how human rights laws actually help terrorists rather than protecting the innocent people as it was supposed to.
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analyzer / May 10, 2013
a few jet engines doing the tricks. heard of some export regulations relaxation in the US recently!
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analyzer / May 10, 2013
after all, who really cares about the rights of the dead (and alive) brown-skinned people who didn’t have the money to make it out of the island?
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