It’s an extremely urgent appeal. After prosecuting a murderously brutal and inhuman war the Govt. of Lanka is currently wiping all evidences that would lead to genocide and war crimes trial. The next thing it will do is to confuse, divide and neutralize the ‘emotionally converged’ Tamil diaspora. If the emotionally converged diaspora is quickly stabilized and efficiently coordinated as a political community then advancement of the Tamil cause will see meaningful rapid progress.
In the immediate next phase the Government of SriLanka will unleash a hidden war, more treacherous than the one it let loose in Mullaitivu, to break the unity and political consolidation of the diaspora.
I am sure the diaspora has the moral capacities to withstand a dirty political war by the SriLankan Government. But what can shatter the hopes of a dignified political solution will be the unraveling of LTTE. Let’s concede that the massive military debacle would certainly have created serious gaps in LTTE’s command structure. I get a disturbing feeling that there is already an unseen power struggle among certain sections of the LTTE for the control of the organization and its vast resources. We can expect that intelligence agencies of various countries will welcome this development and do everything to hasten these divisions.
The enlightened ones among the expatriate community should come together with a tremendous sense of responsibility first to ensure that the organization does not unravel due to internal divisions, secondly to work vigorously to lift the ban imposed on it by several countries and then go on to build democratic people’s power of the diaspora around it. Such a development would keep moral and political pressure on Western countries to press for a meaningful political solution to our people. Further it will also ignite a broader Tamil renaissance. May the memory of the sacrifices our people endured guide us in this mission.
Kindly pass this message to the Tamils whom you consider as mature, responsible and reasonably selfless.
It is now when we walk in the valley of darkness, through the agonies, anxieties and uncertainties, we have re-discovered the bonds that unite us intensely as Tamils. We shall persevere. We shall prevail.
As Sinhala armed forces occupies most of the Eelam land, it's Tamil diaspora's duty to do every thing possible to free Tamil Eelam & her people. In order to achieve that I suggest we should form an Eelam government-in-exile which becomes party to and accepts international norms & practices. So that it will make it easier for a country or even countries to recognise our country when we free it from Sinhala occupation.
A government in exile is a political group(s) that claims to be a country's legitimate government, but for various reasons is unable to exercise its legal power, and instead resides in a foreign country. Governments in exile usually operate under the assumption that they will one day return to their native country and regain power.
Governments in exile frequently occur during wartime occupation. For example, during the German expansion of the Second World War, numerous European governments and monarchs were forced to seek refuge in the United Kingdom rather than face certain destruction at the hands of the Nazis.
Actions of governments in exile International law recognizes that governments in exile may undertake many types of actions in the conduct of their daily affairs. These actions include:
becoming a party to a bilateral or international treaty
amending or revising its own constitution
maintaining military forces
retaining (or "newly obtaining") diplomatic recognition by sovereign states
issuing identity cards
allowing the formation of new political parties
instituting democratic reforms
holding elections
allowing for direct (or more broadly-based) elections of its government officers, etc.
By definition, a government in exile is spoken of in terms of its native country, hence it must return to its native country and regain power there in order to obtain legitimacy as the legal government of that geographic area.
The next time you buy some lingerie, a T-shirt or a pair of rubber gloves, you may want to reflect on this: they were probably made in Sri Lanka. And, like it or not, your purchase plays a role in the debate over how to respond to the Sri Lankan Government's successful but brutal military campaign against the Tamil Tiger rebels, which reached its bloody climax this week.
Since 2005 Sri Lanka has been allowed to sell garments to the European Union without import tax as part of a scheme designed to help it to recover from the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004. That means its clothes are 10 per cent cheaper than those from China and other competitors – helping the island to earn at least $2.9 billion (£1.9 billion) from the EU annually. Britain accounts for much of that.
Britain has also helped to rebuild Sri Lanka's tourist industry: Britons accounted for 18.5 per cent of the foreigners who visited the former colony's famous beaches, wildlife parks, tea plantations and Buddhist temples last year. Only India sends more tourists. Many Britons also own property there, especially around the southern city of Galle, not far from where Arthur C.Clarke, the British science fiction writer who settled in Sri Lanka, used to love to scuba dive.
So the question facing British shoppers and holidaymakers is this: should they continue to support Sri Lanka's garment and tourist industries? Sadly, the answer must be no.
Britain should welcome the defeat of the Tigers, a ruthless terrorist organisation that forcibly recruited children, pioneered the use of the suicide bomb and killed thousands of innocent people. But Britain must also condemn the Sri Lankan Government's conduct of the war – and take punitive action against it both to discourage other states from using similar methods, and to encourage proper reconciliation between the Tamil and Sinhalese communities. With the UN paralysed, economic sanctions is the only practical option left.
Many will ask why they should care: there are bigger conflicts in the world, and Sri Lanka's is mercifully confined to its own shores, with no risk that British troops might be deployed.
The response to that is simple: what about next time? Sri Lanka's war has been discrete only because it is an island; many other conflicts have spilt across borders, forcing military intervention to prevent a humanitarian disaster or a greater conflagration. Consider the break-up of Yugoslavia or Sierra Leone.
Britain may have, in the eyes of the world, ceded much of the moral high ground over human rights when it shed civilian blood during the invasion and occupation of Iraq. But that does not mean that it should abandon its role in defending international law that protects civilians in conflicts and holds governments accountable for their actions during war.
Yes, international humanitarian law is based largely on Western values, and enforced imperfectly, but the world would be a much more violent, unjust place without it. Put simply, every war might look like Sri Lanka's.
In an ideal world the UN, not the EU, would take the lead. But the UN, even in the face of a clear humanitarian disaster and blatant war crimes by both sides, has been compromised. By cosying up to China, Russia and other countries facing their own separatist problems, Sri Lanka managed to keep its own war off the formal agenda of the UN Security Council until the last minute. Without the UN Security Council's backing, an independent war crimes investigation will struggle to get off the ground.
Thus it is once again up to the democratic world to take action – even if that means muddling the issues of trade and human rights.
A key point to bear in mind is that human rights are an explicit part of GSP Plus, the EU's scheme that gives preferential trading rights to 16 developing nations, from Guatemala to Mongolia. These nations must comply with 27 international conventions covering environmental, labour and human rights standards. Many have gone to great lengths to adhere to them.
That may sound like excessive EU bureaucracy, but the system is designed to ensure the products we import meet EU standards – no child labour, for example. It is also designed to give developing countries an incentive to improve their own standards to the benefit of their own people.
That is where Sri Lanka has let itself down. Last year the EU expressed grave concerns about human rights abuses committed during the conflict and said that it might not renew the GSP Plus deal after it expired in December.
Sri Lanka's response was to dismiss the EU out of hand, accusing it of violating Sri Lankan sovereignty. The EU then announced that it was launching an investigation into possible rights abuses, pending the results of which GSP Plus remains in place. Sri Lanka has so far refused to co-operate, banking on EU inaction.
Since then, the situation has deteriorated dramatically. Sri Lankan armed forces are now suspected of repeatedly shelling civilian targets including hospitals, and of shooting dead at least two Tiger leaders as they were surrendering. They have also herded more than 200,000 Tamils into internment camps, splitting up families. These squalid places have insufficient water or medical supplies, and aid workers have been blocked from helping in these camps. Even the Red Cross has been forced to suspend its operations in the barbed-wire facilities, which the Sri Lankan Government calls “welfare villages” but Tamil activists liken to concentration camps.
Renewing GSP Plus in these circumstances would make a mockery of human rights and set an awful precedent for other nations. Withdrawing it could cost Sri Lanka 2 per cent of its GDP and thousands of jobs, which will hit many innocent civilians. But the fault, if this happens, will lie with its Government for failing to address the EU's concerns.
As to whether Britons should visit Sri Lanka as tourists, well that's a matter of personal choice – just as it is whether to visit Burma. But until the international community pulls together and formulates its own robust response, there is no clearer way for individuals to register their disapproval for the actions of Sri Lanka's Government than simply to stay away.
Jan grew up in Sri Lanka, England, Zambia and Nigeria where her parents worked as school teachers. In England she lived in the seaside town of South Port in Merseyside, as well as in Croydon and in Bramdean, a small village near Winchester.
She studied for her GCE O and A levels by correspondence course from Africa and gained entry to Manchester University where she graduated with distinction in Computing and Information Systems. She also holds a Masters in Applied Mathematics from Imperial College, University of London and an MBA from INSEAD business school in France.
Jan’s family were granted leave to remain in England as refugees from the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, while Jan herself was granted a work visa in 1989 as a professional expert in her field.
Jan moved to London in 1992.
Professional Life
Jan started her career in Research and development for a leading computer manufacturer, Digital Equipment Ltd, before moving to the banking industry, where she worked in roles in technology, research and trading. She has worked for leading firms including Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse.
She currently works as interim project manager of quantitative technology for the Markets and Investment Banking Division of the Unicredit Group, Italy’s second largest banking group, splitting her time between the London and German offices.
She has also been involved in setting up and managing startup e-commerce ventures and understands the needs of entrepreneurs and small businesses.
She is passionate about the transformative power of the internet, and of technology, and has a strong interest in macroeconomic issues.
Activist Life
Jan has been a human rights activist since 1995, when she co-founded HURT (Human Rights for Tamils) together with then medical student, Dr S Shiamila. She also writes regularly for Tamil media. For the last year she has been UK spokesperson for “Tamils Against Genocide” an advocacy group that seeks to obtain convictions for genocide against high-ranking Sri Lankan officials and the state. She is also recently a Director of the British Tamil law foundation that focuses on public and international humanitarian law.
Why I am participating in this election to the European Parliament
I have watched with dismay the gradual erosion of civil liberties in UK and Europe since 2001, the increase in the policing powers of the state, and the accompanying marginalisation of ethnic communities.
I am appalled by the indifference and impotence of the British and European political establishment in the context of the ongoing genocide in Sri Lanka.
I oppose the surreal wastefulness of the European tax-payer funding the purchase of banned weapons of war in countries such as Sri Lanka via international institutions such as the IMF all in the name of preserving “financial stability”.
On the other hand, racism is on the rise in Europe and the BNP has a real chance of getting a seat in London.
It is clear that when it comes to abiding by agreed international norms of behaviour our governments cannot be depended on. This is not just with respect to genocide but also in areas related to torture and detention.
In the last few months, I have tried to influence the large political parties and international organisations to do something tangible to stop the war in Sri Lanka. Young people have gone on hunger strike while ordinary people protest in their thousands in London. But we are unable to stop the forced starvation of an entire people. We cannot persuade our government to do air drops of food or to insist on delivery by ship. It seems that no lessons have been learned from Biafra, Rwanda, Srebenica, let alone the Jewish holocaust. These last few months have been a revelation.
One cannot leave matters in the hands of the established political parties. As an independent candidate who is not afraid to tell the truth and to catalyse change, I intend to make a difference in the areas in my manifesto.
Policies
Civil Rights For All
To defend Britain’s long tradition of civil rights and freedom of expression
To oppose and reverse the past decade’s erosion of the civil rights of individuals and communities;
To oppose the encroachment of the state onto the freedom and privacy of the individual, particularly in this electronically connected era
To strengthen access to justice in practice and to prioritise the protection of the legal rights of the individual including the right to Habeas Corpus
To challenge the failure of states to abide by the human rights agreements they have already signed up to - including, for example, the UN Genocide Convention, The UN covenant of the civil and political rights of peoples which includes the right to freedom from torture and the right to self-determination
To commit to a values-based approach to international policy over an interest-based approach
To oppose the criminalization of whole communities under the pretext of counter-terrorism, and promote the de-proscription of organisations acting responsibly to facilitate their transformation into a mainstream political body with the aim of achieving peaceful resolution of conflicts.
To oppose discrimination in any form, recognising it exists not just at the work place but also the justice system and in the provision of state services
Prioritising Education
To recognise that the competitive strength of Europe rests crucially on the skills and talent of its workforce
To prioritise free access to education for all
To prioritise the improvement of the quality of education at all levels, and to commit to support funding for scientific and technological research
To encourage the participation of women in disciplines where they remain under-represented, including science, technology and engineering.
"Military end to conflict will end hope for a unified Sri Lanka" Obama White house said on Friday, April 24, 2009 in a press release.
The press release said that the US is very concerned about the plight of the Tamils civilians, and urged the Sri Lankan government to allow media and foreign aid workers to these IDP camps.
But the anger and alienation of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka is more acute than ever. The ultimate solution for Sri Lanka's communal conflict can only be political, not military. If the Tamil populace sees no hope for autonomy within Sri Lanka, it may come to demand a separate state - after all, the secessionist goal of the Tigers.
A separate Tamil Eelam is the only solution that will permanently put an end to the problems of the Tamil people in the island of Sri Lanka, said Tamil Nadu former Chief Minister and principal Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Jayalalitha at a election rally in Salem city Saturday. In a powerful, moving speech, she resolved to fight to attain independent Eelam.
Rescue workers within the Mullaiththeevu Safety Zone have counted more than 1200 bodies after the large scale slaughter Saturday night and Sunday morning by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) with the use of cluster ammunition, multi-barrel rocket launchers and cannons, sources from Vanni said. The workers fear that there may be additional bodies yet to be uncovered, and the numbers killed will likely rise. Rescue workers also said several hundreds were very seriously injured, and the critical shortage of medicine at the makeshift hospital in Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal will lead to many more deaths. Meanwhile, Mu'l'li-vaaykkaal Hospital staff said, until 3:00 p.m. the number of bodies brought to the hospital was 378, injured totaled 1122. The staffers added that 106 of the dead, and 251 of the injured were children.
by T. Earakan Sri Lanka began the uprooting of Tamils in the island soon after independence in 1948.
The guise then was repatriation of Tamils of Indian origin. The disenfranchisement of hundreds of thousands of Tamils followed with state organized pogroms throughout the years to set up of high security zones and to the current “humanitarian rescue operation”.
The Tamils’ quest for self determination is given a fig leaf of “war on terror” and vast human rights abuses are being committed against Tamil civilians in the name of fighting the LTTE.
And any humanitarian calling to alleviate the plight of the suffering Tamil civilians is ridiculed by the appeasers of the Sri Lanka government.
Commentators on several news articles and blog entries around the globe are however exposing the hypocrisy of the Rajapaksa brothers, Armed Forces Chief Sarath Fonseka and the Government of Sri Lanka in carrying out the ethnic cleansing of Tamils.
Here are few comments from recent articles:
Leaked UN satellite images ’show haven for Sri Lanka refugees was bombed’:
What we Tamils were saying all along has been proved now. What is UN and international community going to do now.Take stern actions against genocidal Srilankan Government now. - Jegan, London, UK *** President of SL reportedly has told “if I order not to use heavy weapons, it’s an order and no one would use”. Now the West sees the true pictures! That’s the credibility of GOSL! Tamils have learnt it, now it’s time for the west to learn - But please, not at the expense of Tamil civilians. - Kabaali, London *** Bombing going on for ages but international community never cared about it untill last few weeks. UN does not want to publicize these evidents for strange reasons. UN need to come clean about it. The west countries must ask UN for explanation. It is time for the West to act and safeguard Tamils. - kumar, Mitcham, UK *** The Govt is holding the Tamils in campsto the West to ransom. The govt need billions to fund their ever growing number of ministers. As recently as in Feb they appointed yet another minister, this time without any portfolio to manage. It takes time to come up with a fancy name for a ministry. Gowri, Ilford, UK *** Sri Lanka sparks row with EU over ban on Swedish minister
Have the eyes of the EU opened at last?.The days of expressing “concern” are over. It is now time for some action. There are a couple of things they can do. Impose a travel ban on all cabinet ministers of Sri Lanka and also consdier abrogating the GSP plus - leon, Totonto, Canada *** It should be clear to the EU and the IC in general that this war is genocide in disguise, why else would the SL Government ban all media and journalist in the battle zone, cut off all communication, kill independent journalist who argue against the war. - Ruban, London, UK *** Sri Lanka denies lot of things.International media,aid workers,emissaries and dignitaries.It is obvious now,Sri Lankan government has a lot to hide from international community - Lakshmanan, Tirunelveli, INDIA
Violence has been occurring in Colombo all day. It started this morning at Gall Face, the long stretch of green between House of representatives and the sea where about 200 Tamils performed Satyagrha by merely sitting on the grass.
This appeared in The Times of UK, On June 5th, 1956.
…Decades have gone bay, but violence perpetrated by those with the Sinhala Sri Lanka supremacist agenda continues through today under various guises…
Today “War on Terror” and even a “Humanitarian rescue” are being carried out by the Sri Lankan to uproot Tamils.
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It’s an extremely urgent appeal. After prosecuting a murderously brutal and inhuman war the Govt. of Lanka is currently wiping all evidences that would lead to genocide and war crimes trial. The next thing it will do is to confuse, divide and neutralize the ‘emotionally converged’ Tamil diaspora. If the emotionally converged diaspora is quickly stabilized and efficiently coordinated as a political community then advancement of the Tamil cause will see meaningful rapid progress.
Jan grew up in Sri Lanka, England, Zambia and Nigeria where her parents worked as school teachers. In England she lived in the seaside town of South Port in Merseyside, as well as in Croydon and in Bramdean, a small village near Winchester.
Jan started her career in Research and development for a leading computer manufacturer, Digital Equipment Ltd, before moving to the banking industry, where she worked in roles in technology, research and trading. She has worked for leading firms including Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse.
