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போர்க்குற்றங்கள் புரிந்தவர் பிரதம விருந்தினரா?

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அவுஸ்திரேலிய தமிழர் காங்கிரஸ்

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 13 October 2010

Australian Tamils appalled at Rajapakse's attendance at Games ceremony

The Australian Tamil Congress is appalled at the decision to invite Sri Lanka's president to attend the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony.

The Sri Lankan government is accused of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity in its war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Although Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group have called for independent investigations, Sri Lanka has remained defiant, including by refusing visas to a panel experts from the United Nations.

"The Commonwealth members should exert pressure on the Sri Lankan government, as they did with Zimbabwe and Fiji," says Dr Sam Pari, spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress.

"Sri Lanka is an embarrassment to the Commonwealth. It has an atrocious human rights record and latest contitutional amendment which removed the term limits for a sitting president shows that it is only becoming less democratic," she added.

Sri Lanka lost its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games. It also recently lost its bid to Australia to host the next Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting.

Sri Lanka is now competing with Australia to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Mr Rajapaksa's home town, Hambantota.

Media contact:

Dr Sam Pari – 0433 428 967

  • தொடங்கியவர்

கனேடிய தமிழர் காங்கிரஸ்

For Immediate Release

October 12, 2010

Tamil Canadians extremely concerned over arrests in Thailand

The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) is extremely concerned about the fate of the 155 Tamils arrested by Thai Police in Bangkok this weekend. Many are believed to be refugees needing protection under the Refugee Convention. If returned to their country of origin, the Tamil refugees may be persecuted or may have a genuine fear of persecution. They are likely to face torture if returned to Sri Lanka. This would be in violation of Canada’s obligations under the United Nations Convention Against Torture.

Since the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, Tamils have fled en masse to various countries seeking safety and security. Thailand was one such safe country – a country in which tens of thousands of Tamils have fled in the past. Most of the Tamils are registered with the United Nations Human Commissioner for Refugees and are being processed as refugees. Details of the arrests are sketchy; however, a family member contacted the Canadian Tamil Congress confirming that the arrests include those individuals registered with the UNHCR in Thailand.

We are very disturbed by the arrests as it includes genuine refugees seeking international protection. We are particularly disturbed if the Canadian government had a role in the arrests. Canada cannot interchange human smugglers with genuine refugees – refugees need our help, pure and simple. Canada cannot negate its international obligations and have countries such as Thailand do its dirty work. Canada cannot be complicit in violating international law” stated David Poopalapillai, National Spokesperson for the Canadian Tamil Congress.

The Canadian Tamil Congress has contacted various humanitarian agencies to plead for their support in ensuring that those arrested in Thailand are treated fairly, and are not deported to Sri Lanka, where they are likely to face persecution.

The Canadian Tamil Congress is a national organization representing Tamils from coast to coast, and has been a vocal advocate for the rights of refugees both in Canada and around the world.

For more information, please contact 416.240.0078

  • தொடங்கியவர்

பிரித்தானிய பாராளுமன்றத்தில் "கேள்வி - பதில் " நேரத்தில் சிறிலங்காவின் 2018 விண்ணப்பம் பற்றி கேள்வி எழுப்பப்பட்டது.

Sri Lanka is competing with Australia to host the Commonwealth Games in 2018. As you know, Sri Lanka has been accused of war crimes with over 40,000 Tamil civilians being killed during the last stages of the war in 2009 and over 300,000 citizens being held in internment camp for over 5 months. 80,000 Tamils continue to be held in internment camp without ICRC access.

Fiji was banned from the Commonwealth Games as they didn't hold democratic elections. Why is Sri Lanka, which is accused of war crimes, and calls were made by UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group to investigate the war crimes, even considered for a bid at the same level as Australia?

In the British Parliament, Siobhain McDonagh MP asked the following question at Question Time:

Mister Speaker, in a few hours time at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, Prince Edward will be sat alongside the head of a regime accused of war crimes – President Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka.

Will the rt hon gentleman allow a debate on whether the Commonwealth should be giving succour in this way to countries with such an appalling human rights record, and on whether allowing Britain’s Royal Family to sit next to Sri Lanka’s leader represents a change in Britain’s foreign policy to one that puts trading considerations ahead of human rights.

The British Parliament Business Questions are now on Iplayer, the link is here -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00vddrv/Business_Questions_14_10_2010/

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