28 March, 2024

Blog

Maithri Greeted By Anti-Government Protests In London

President Maithripala Sirisena who arrived in London on Wednesday for the Anti-Corruption Summit, was greeted by protests led by the British Tamil Forum demanding justice for the civilians killed during the war, while also labelling the Sri Lankan Government as a war criminal.

Protest against MaithripalaThe protestors holding placards demanded to know the fate of some 18,000 civilians detained, while also demanding the government to return the land belonging to the Tamils, which is currently under military control.

The protestors, who were carrying LTTE flags, also alleged that ‘profound barbarism’ continued unabated in Sri Lanka, and called for the punishment of all war criminals, while also demanding an immediate halt to the abuse of Tamil children. The protestors also wanted Sirisena to immediately disband the ‘white van’ squad, amidst increasing concerns of the reemergence of the white van style abductions specially in the North and East.

The British Tamils Forum said that they were against Sirisena participating at the summit. The Forum cited that Sirisena who was the acting defence minister during ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s regime was along with the government responsible for the killing of over 70,000 innocent Tamil civilians in just five months during the last leg of the war in 2009. “Seven years on, there is still no justice for the victims of genocide,” the Forum added.

Sirisena is attending the Anti-Corruption Summit on the invitation of the British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Incidentally, the protest in London comes just days before Sri Lanka commemorates the end of the country’s quarter century war.Protest against Maithripala Sirisena in London 2016 May

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Latest comments

  • 29
    11

    A bunch of morons who need to be deported by the Home Office back to SL

    • 15
      8

      Peace Lover

      “A bunch of morons who need to be deported by the Home Office back to SL”

      Why?

      • 12
        4

        Because these morons are flying the LTTE flag and demanding that only the SL Govt be held responsible for war crimes. These LTTE supporters therefore condone war crimes of their LTTE comrades who committed them. If these Tamils were innocent victims of the war and not flying the LTTE flag then their demands can be legitimately accepted but not in this picture.

        • 3
          3

          Richard

          “Because these morons are flying the LTTE flag and demanding that only the SL Govt be held responsible for war crimes.”

          Why are you so upset about an animal flag waved in far far away country while Sri Lanka continues to fly another animal flag through out the island?

          What is it so upsetting about horrible animal flags?

          When did you start typing CT forum?

          All war crimes and crimes against humanity should be investigated irrespective of the perpetrators race, organisation, region, religion, …. covering the period from 5th April to date.

          “These LTTE supporters therefore condone war crimes of their LTTE comrades who committed them. “

          It is for the independent commission to ascertain provided Sri Lanka is agreeable to appoint and see to it the commission does not mimic the past similar investigation.

          It is about finding the truth which is much bigger than waving your stupid lion/tiger flags.

          ” If these Tamils were innocent victims of the war and not flying the LTTE flag then their demands can be legitimately accepted but not in this picture.”

          There could be genuine victims who genuinely want to see justice is being done to them and their family. It is a public place where animal flag carriers are free seen.

          Do you know how many people carry/wave animal flag? Do you know who these carriers/wavers are? These people could be working for Gota and military intelligence who adamantly oppose to war crime investigation. Do you know Gota recruited numerous members of LTTE cadres and Pottu Amman department, just after the war had ended?

          They can be Agent Provocateurs. Who knows? Gota desperately wants his old job back as he has been suffering withdrawal syndrome. The army is not interested in an independent investigation.

          What you have to find out is whether the handful of animal flag wavers are really LTTE supporters or Gota’s boys.

          I suppose this is beyond you.

          Now you have done your part in the service of your country, have some beer, eat chicken curry, watch bit of telly, …. go to bed with a satisfaction of being able to register a protest here in CT and dream about a country free of war criminals.

          If you have a partner please, impress her with how patriotically you have defended the country in CT.

          • 2
            0

            How could I educate a “Native Veddha” on international affairs? Your naivety, arrogance and condescendence prove that you are probably a ‘Vaddha’ and not a ‘Vedda’.

            • 1
              2

              Richard

              “How could I educate a “Native Veddha” on international affairs?”

              Once you have educated yourself on domestic and international affairs.

    • 4
      0

      RE: Maithri Greeted By Anti-Government Protests In London

      “President Maithripala Sirisena who arrived in London on Wednesday for the Anti-Corruption Summit, was greeted by protests led by the British Tamil Forum demanding justice for the civilians killed during the war, while also labelling the Sri Lankan Government as a war criminal.”

      Do the Tamils believe that Stupidity is a Virtue? Let’s See. G. G. Ponnambalam et al have trained these Tamils well.

      Now getting a better understanding of the bimodal IQ distribution of the Tamils, as published in CT.

      The Story Of Two Graphs drawn by A Tamil Man: By Mahesan Niranjan

      Onion Prices and Tamil IQ Distributions

      https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-story-of-two-graphs-drawn-by-a-tamil-man/onioniqdistributions/

      https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-story-of-two-graphs-drawn-by-a-tamil-man/

    • 4
      3

      [A bunch of morons who need to be deported by the Home Office back to SL]

      No, There is no such need. real morons should be repatriated to Unitary state of West Bengal and Bangladesh.

    • 8
      2

      A bunch of morons.. YES

      Deport them back here.. NO THANK YOU!

      • 3
        4

        Words

        “A bunch of morons.. YES”

        You haven’t explained to us in your own words as to why they are morons?

        Before you start typing let us have in your own words a working definition of Morons,.

        • 3
          1

          You!

          • 1
            4

            words

            “You!”

            Let us have in your own words a working definition of Morons.

  • 13
    3

    KASmaalam KA Sumanasekera

    Are you the one in red shirt waving Tiger flag and bald head?

    Did you have good fun among your diaspora brethren?

    When are you coming back?

  • 6
    0

    I am only drawing attention to the plackard that regime change has made no difference to Tamils. WHY NOT? There is a greater effort towards reconcillation. It may not be to the expected speed. I feel as a minority that I am more welcome and a part of the country than before.

    Every regime has its faults. I would have much preferred if this groups of people who greeted the President with placards, invited him for a short function in a cultural center and after a cultural show, presented in bullet form the outstanding issues that ought to be resolved as a start. Engage in a dialog, draft road maps to achieve the targets.

    I believe that this Government consisting of major political parties as well as the vote of the majority as well as the minority should not be broken especially by the minorities where the start is this kind of demonstration outside the country.

    • 0
      3

      Sinhala Governments and Sinhala Political Parties cannot reconcile with the Tamil community.
      There are Sinhala leaders who command majority support of the ilk of Wimal Weerawansa, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Dinesh Gunawardane and Udaya Gammanpila supported by a myriad of leading Buddhist monks are already grinding their swords to crush any meaningful devolution.

      • 3
        0

        Why does Anton prefer to forget that the names he lists on such as “Wimal Weerawansa, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Dinesh Gunawardane and Udaya Gammanpila” and their master DID NOT win the elections of Jan 8, 2015 and August 2015. It is through our behaviour that we give credence and weightage to them. Unlike the Presidential elections of 2005, the citizens in the North voted in Jan 2015. Had they not and held a defeatist attitude, does Anton think that there would yet be a change? NO. The Citizens in the North along with others are a part of the change and if we could come together to make the change why not get together to make it really work and show that we really meant a change for the better.

        Remember this is a Government of all sorts and throught various divisive acts it can be broken into pieces. It is easy to break and difficult to make.

  • 6
    0

    What a set of people..trying to justify their stay in Britain.

  • 4
    3

    Look at the 21st Century British citizens, still carrying LTTE Flags and baying for Yahapalana President’ Bodhi Sira’s blood, for killing 70,000 innocent LTTE supporters in Nanthikadal, when he was the Defence Secretary at the final stages of the battle.

    How sad,

    I mean for Bodhi Sira to face this sort of agitations from the same people who helped Suren Surendran and UNP London to get him the President job, instead of the UNP Christian Faction Leader Batalanda Ranil.

    And, after all the favours Bodhi Sira has done in return, like giving the Vellalas free hand to do what ever they want in the North, .

    He even allowed Vellala Sambandan to invade the once mighty SA Camps in Killinochchi, and declared that that it was on Thamil Land taken over by the Armed Forces.

    And saying it was quite legit for Sambandan to invade them.

    He even has decalred that the ex LTTE supporters can commomorate their comrades this year without any hassles.

    Wonder whether Sira had plans even to attend them .

    That was before this un expected protest thing by the British Thamil Forum happening of course..

    Is Suren Surendran the boss of BTF?..

    • 1
      2

      KASmaalam KA Sumanasekera

      “Look at the 21st Century British citizens, still carrying LTTE Flags and baying for Yahapalana President’ Bodhi Sira’s blood,”

      Like their Sinhala brethren they too are animal lovers. They could not own tiger cubs therefore they are symbolically demonstrating their affection for animals as you have been doing it for the past 68 or so years with Sinha flag and went bit further by tattooing your a**e and face with Sinha Le.

      Soon you will see your brethren tattooing Kotti Le in their a**e and Willy. They have to show their Sinhala brethren that they are once step advance than their equally stupid Sinhala brethren.

  • 0
    4

    The truth has re-surfaced.
    The so-called Sena-Singhe Yahapalanaya which the Thamils openly supported at the 2015 elections is no better than any of the corrupt and racial governments Sri Lanka has had since 1948.

  • 4
    0

    “Regime has changed, but made no difference to Tamils”

    Of course it won’t make any difference, because you were used by Indians and the West. In fact you are have been used by the foreign powers for decades. We all know what will happen to Sri Lanka, if the government shares power with you. You are good in avoiding smart Tamils to live in illusion by following the foreign powers. You have lived in illusion for decades thinking about Eelam. Likewise, think about devolution of power and live in illusion for few more decades until the new generation think differently. I hope this comment will get you and make you to think.

  • 4
    0

    The demise of the 70,000 Tamils during the last stages of the war is a serious matter but these idiots are demonstrating at the wrong man and at the wrong event. This government had nothing to do with it but the LTTE and the previous regime are to be blamed and to their credit the current government appears to be doing all they can to make amends, but these morons in London only make it difficult. It is clear that these protests appear organised by the LTTE, or at least the rump of it, as I am aware personally that some of the Tamil businesses in UK suffered extortion at the hands of the LTTE which must be lamenting the loss of that lucrative protection racket.

    • 1
      1

      Sylvia Haik,
      The president was Acting Defence Minister in the last days of the war.
      He knows what actually happened.

      He still is helpless about hundreds in custody under the PTA.
      He knows the travails of imprisonment – as he was jailed when he was 19 years of age, for being a member of the JVP.

      He dares not order the army to stop occupying private lands in the north and east.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maithripala_Sirisena

      Tamils only want justice and equality.

  • 4
    0

    First of all BTF is not representing all the Tamils in UK and Tamils never work together or listen to each other. Tamils are very weak in politics and no point in protesting for everything like MR government objected everything in the past- at least intelegent people have to show some difference between MR/Gotha and decent Srisena, treating all same is a total stupidity. Mainly BTF should not use poor people without any work for their own agendas. Totally Tamil ship is moving in the ocean without sailor or captain, it might hit the rock if no one rescue it in time – totally we are self centred greed pigs. We never correctly forecasted our future – Ginna wisely asked for Pakistan while our stupid heads driven us towards Mullivaaikal. Even after mullivaikal our people are not prepared to learn from the history. Eventually they might drive us towards another mullivaikal, if we are still not prepared to learn from Ginna.

  • 4
    1

    If you support terrorism as a way of getting things done, repercussions are extremely obnoxious. Punishment for terrorism is severe and justified. Let me ask, why did you take that route. Why did you support that route. Whoever supported LTTE terrorism are the only people who are responsible for demise of thousands of innocent lives. Who put them to that danger. If someone celebrated victories of LTTE terrorism, that person is responsible and accountable for the outcome.

  • 2
    1

    What a sad lot! A beautiful day wasted for nothing; all the effort for no result. There are so many other ways in which they could have spent the time; but mostly, they are about 5000 miles away from where they should be. Never mind, they probably had nothing better to do anyway.

  • 3
    1

    All Bull Shit. These Bastards will never come to Sri Lanka. They just want to stir up something to be able to live in GB. They do not know how peaceful Jaffna is.

  • 4
    0

    Protest conducted by BTF is a form of reminder to the President and
    nothing beyond that. Hue and cry is made over a protest in UK, where as this happens everyday in front of the Fort Railway station,Colombo.
    They were reminding him that promises he made to the people on number of occasions in Jaffna that the lands confiscated during the war will be returned to the rightful owners and armed forces reduced to a required level, allowing free movement of people of N/E, within a time frame,which he gave and those promises never materialized. 2/3 of the confiscated land mass not handed back yet to the owners and 2/3 of the armed forces are still in N/E, although the war ended seven years ago. So,one has to be reminded by show of protests as they could not have met the president over the table.

    On the other hand, BTF,a recognized organization, who had meetings with the foreign minister on peace efforts, should have organized the protest in a disciplined manner , without show of Ltte flags and provocative slogans as this protest was meant to remind the friendly President to expedite the promises he made to the people of N/E. The protesters should realize that it may be an outing for them on a sunny evening in London but people of N/E are the people who are at the receiving end.

  • 1
    1

    There are sections of Tamil community that will never be satisfied with whatever the party governs Sri Lanka.The people who demonstrated are a minority not the majority. It should be noted that there is infighting between various groups of Tamils. For example, Kajen Ponnambalam is against Sampanthan and Kajen is very active in opposing any move by TNA leadership that is trying to negotiate with the government. I believe that these demonstrations are counter productive for Tamils who are living in North and East who wants peace at any cost.

  • 2
    1

    Low IQ terrorist elements, coolies, janitors, store clerks, wharf clerks all shout for EElam. They can establish EElam in London now. The smart Tamils are doctors, lawyers, engineers and only quietly fund EEEEEElam but will not sacrifice their children or themselves. Tamils in Sri Lanka do not want war only the diaspora wants war to keep collecting cash.

  • 3
    1

    Lanka Watch, very sensible comment. BTF is pro srilankan government organisation(most of the organisation had talks with the government in Singapore) and if you look at the photo, most of them looks like Singhalese and not Tamil faces – this could be srilankan intelligent’s work.

    • 2
      0

      Senthil – Could be so but BTF must make a clear statement as Tamils
      want peace with dignity and not to provoke the govt.in power.It looks
      like TNA has taken a similar stand.

  • 0
    1

    How did you become such nasty traitors?

    Will you be able to step on this sacred land Sri lanka one day in the future with a pure heart?

  • 0
    1

    Do you think that you’re heroes ?
    no.
    you’re just treacherous and disloyal.
    you should be given up.

  • 0
    1

    Fools,
    Idiots,
    Idlers & Traitors,
    What’re you fighting for ?

    One country
    One nation
    That’s all & no more here.

    Keep those LTTE flags with you
    & shout & shout upto be weary
    out of Sri Lanka.

    • 1
      1

      We are not fools, idiots and traitors, but we are Srilankan Tamils who are demanding for homeland that is being destroyed everyday by your people.
      Our cry will reach one day to god and we will gt our land. This flag may give strength to every tamils all over the world to have our rights.

      • 0
        0

        I don’t know whether u know that before about 32 years , before Prabhakaran’s terrorism we Sinhalese and Tamils lived together sharing everything including tears and smiles as relatives, friends and neighbours.

        Then u never thought of two countries or two nations.

Leave A Comment

Comments should not exceed 200 words. Embedding external links and writing in capital letters are discouraged. Commenting is automatically disabled after 5 days and approval may take up to 24 hours. Please read our Comments Policy for further details. Your email address will not be published.