British Tamils conduct midnight vigil to commemorate Black July 83 and inaugurate London - Geneva Walk for Justice
British Tamils once again embarked on a rally through London on Friday, 23rd July 2010 calling for justice for victims of war crimes in Sri Lanka. In a symbolic yet solemn show of unity and hope, a “midnight vigil” was held from 9pm commencing from opposite Westminster Abbey to Downing Street.
The first of its kind to be held by a minority group in London, thousands of Tamils and non-Tamils gathered carrying candles, placards, banners and hoisting flags appealing to the UK establishment and the UN to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka. Westminster Council, the Mayor’s Office and the Metropolitan Police offered tremendous support to enable this momentous vigil to take place.
The commemorative vigil marks the 27th anniversary of Sri Lankan state sponsored anti-Tamil pogroms in which thousands were slaughtered and serves to remind us that the injustice continues today.
The midnight vigil inaugurated a “Walk for Justice” from the heart of British Parliament, through
France and Switzerland to the UN Human Rights Council offices in Geneva. Mr. Sivanthan, a British Tamil youth, will be joined by supporters and well-wishers on a two-week walk to raise awareness and amalgamate support for calls to the:
1. UN to initiate an independent international probe into war crimes committed in Sri Lanka
2. Allow access to Prisoners Of War
3. For all internally displaced persons to be resettled into their own homes. A memorandum is to be handed to the UN in Geneva on 6th August 2010
4. Boycott of Sri Lanka until it respects international laws
The walk for justice to the UN coincides with the recent appointment of a UN advisory panel by Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. The Sri Lankan government has shown clear opposition to any prospect of independent monitors investigating war crimes in Sri Lanka. Government backed blockade outside UN office in Sri Lanka, threats to UN staff and possible denial of visas to the appointed UN advisory panel reflect a hostile reaction to a body that only has an advisory role. Sri Lanka must be reminded it is a democratic country which has subscribed to UN covenants and Geneva Conventions and is obliged to comply with the obligations to which it has signed up to.
Community leaders and well-wishers signed the war crimes book to pledge their support for the calls to the UN. The two-week walk to the UN aims to unite Tamils across Europe hope and the wider community to join calls to highlight the need for UN to uphold international laws to ensure that justice is universal and to set precedents for other rogue states.
British Tamils reiterated calls for boycott of Sri Lanka until it respects international laws. An international day of boycott is taking place on Saturday 31st July 2010 across US, UK, Canada, Australia and Europe to take forward this campaign.
The event concluded at 11:30pm with speeches from representatives of Tamil organisations and other community leaders. A memorandum containing the 4 basic and fundamental humane and humanitarian demands to the UK Prime Minister will be handed at 10 Downing Street on Monday 26th July.
Statement read out in front of 10 downing street London
Dear friends, fellow Tamils, well wishers and supporters of Tamil’s freedom in the island of Sri Lanka, on behalf of British Tamils Forum, I thank you all, for this historic event. I would also like to give a special welcome to our Sinhala Brothers and Sisters including Exile Journalists who have joined us here today - these Sinhala Brothers and Sisters had no choice other than to simply leave the country to escape the murderous Rajapakshe regime run by Mr Rajapakshe and his Brothers.
Today, you have gathered in thousands and in doing so, you are sending a clear message of resilience to President Rajapakshe and his cronies! This also sends a message of hope to our Tamil Brothers and Sisters that we will not rest until they are free from the oppressive State.
Tamils want justice from an independent international war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka but our voices have been silenced by the murderous Rajapakshe regime that will join the list of Rwanda, Srebrenitsa and many others. It is events like these that keep the memory of many innocent people who perished in the hands of the murderous Rajapakshe regime. This is why the Sri Lankan Government does not want to see us Tamils to be united in the call for freedom. It is our duty to ensure that the true face of the Terror State of Sri Lanka is exposed - First to the international community and eventually at the international war crimes tribunal in the Hague.
Friends, a year is gone, since the war ended, but the conflict hasn’t ended! I repeat the conflict hasn't ended!
It is clear that the Sri Lankan Government is taking all the steps to wipe out all the evidence of crimes against humanity they committed. They are killing those who they think can be witnesses for war crimes. If the Government of Sri Lanka has got nothing to fear, why are they shying away from international Governments, Agencies and Journalists? Why have they refused access to the UN Panel? This more than a year after the war has ended. Why is the Sri Lankan Government refusing to even publish the list of the prisoners of war that they illegally hold without access? Why? Why? Why?
Friends, we must tell the international community that trying to get concessions from Sri Lanka, which is not just a Failed State but also a Racist State, will not work! It didn’t work with Hitler, it didn’t work with the Khmer Rouge, it didn’t work with the then leaders of Rwanda, it didn’t work with Milosevic, it didn’t work with the apartheid regime in South Africa – It doesn’t work with regimes like these – FULL STOP!
It is our duty to demand no words but action from the coalition Government in our adopted home and from the rest of the world if they care for humanity.
Today, it also marks the 27th anniversary of the Black July massacre of thousands of innocent Tamils that showed the true face of Sri Lanka to the world. Many years have gone and we have lost many more during that time. No where in the world over 40,000 innocent people got murdered in cold blood in broad day light in such short space of time, like what happened in the Northeast of Sri Lanka, last year!
Let’s remember them with a minute’s silence.
Ladies and Gentlemen with tears rolling down our cheeks we, the British Tamils Forum, with the support of the Tamil Diaspora and international community, will work as hard as it takes to ensure that
One - An Independent International Investigation into War Crimes in Sri Lanka takes place and the perpetrators get punished
Two – we gain access to the Prisoners of War
Three – we Boycott Sri Lanka until it respects human rights
I ask you, all of you, to join us in this long march for freedom and justice!
Thank you very much! Go home safely
8 Comments
Facts are getting exaggerated with time at the hands of certain diaspora Tamil groups. How did this writer arrive at the bogus '40,000 innocent people got murdered in cold blood in broad day light' figure.
Surely in this time of gracious reconciliation when Tamil folks can live with their precious sons and daughters without handing them over for training to be cyannide pill wearing killers, Sinhala villagers can face the night without fear of LTTE night patrols coming to decapitate them, Sri Lankans Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher alike must respect priciples of truth and reconciliton without trying to invent false history once again.
Truth demands that we must honour the memory of many Sinhala soldiers who died in the same period at the hands of terrorist groups trainned locally and overseas also, while expressing repugnance at the baseless anger that set off a wave of killings and wanton damage.
Posted by: Tissa Wije | July 25, 2010 09:28 AM
Mahinda says not a single civilian was killed, whereas the AI, HRW, ICG and UN say thousands of civilians were massacred by the security forces. Indian doctors who came to treat civilians claim thousands of civilians were killed.
Therefore Mahinda is telling you utter lies. Please grow up to not to listen to him.
Why government of Mahinda is getting paniced when their wrong doings are exposted to the international community? If anything is done to draw the attention of the international community in a non-violent means I give them my 100% support. This is the best way to fight for our independent and ask for world's justice for those who have been denied for the last 50 years.
Very good attempt to bring justice to the people. Wish you all the best. Never stop trying. Every Tamils has a moral duty to bring this government to face justice. That's is the only way out of this conflict.
If anyone who believes that violence is no means to fight for freedom, the here is the new path, follow it. Do not give any more excuses.
If sri lanka's war criminals do not get what the deserved, there will be serious questions about current
morality of the world order and where it heading.
Why is the government introducing more and more restrictions on NGOs trying to help the completely destroyed lives of IDPs returning to their villages? Is this humanity?
If ICRC has been prevented from accessing the 11,000 or so ''suspected LTTE'', it is internationally unacceptable.
Humans have evolved to the extent that its large population can live together in this world by accepting a set of norms. Some ethnic minorities around the world have been suffering in this world because their so-called ''sovereign'' governments are oppressing them and are refusing to follow the set of norms accepted by the wider world.
Yes, Sinhalese have no more to suffer from 30-yr Tiger attacks.
But Tamils continue to suffer 62-yr oppression by Sinhalese.
Tissa Wije | July 25, 2010 09:28 AM ,
We the Tamil diaspora,INGOs,UN, and other international humanitarian organisations are saying you and your Government has killed over 40,000 Tamil civilians but your government is dening so there is a conflict. How can we(You me, the world) find the truth? why not allow an insependent panal to find the truth? If what you say is true why are you and your government preventing international journalistes, even elected Tamil Mps and UN reps(an organisation where your government is a member) visiting the area?
You may say we are a democratically elected governmwnt and has soverignity if it was true what made the Tamil citizens of your soverign country felt neglected and made them rebel against you? Why did you kill them since 1956 even before the birth of the Tigers? I have expressed in simple plane English even a primary school child will be able to undersatand if you have any credible answer please say so instead making idiotic and false comments.
Could you tell me and the world how your government is graciously reconciling and resettling Tamils? How are you proposing to solve Tamil's grevances graciously?
Dear Friends ,
The 40000 deaths that you attribute to the last phase of the Eelaam war, could have been avoided if the you showed same determination to stop VP on his tracks at the bigininng of 2008 when the writing was clearly on the wall.
The Milliband regime would have been easily persuaded to use their Military might to stop VP if they wanted to.
Instead you went all the way to prop up VP and tried desperately to save him even after he sacrificed so many thousands to save himself and his family.
Now you are shedding tears and holding rallies to punish a government that rescued the hostages from VP and trying to help them get their lives back.
According to the latest. you and your other mates in Norway, France and the US are suing Germany to punish them too.
Come on folks. Wake up. Send some money to the poor victims of your past deeds.
Let them get their lives back.
Let their children have at least some of the comforts your children take for granted.
Surely the millions that you coughed out to fill the LTTE coffers are still available and with the CPI increases you can afford even more.
Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa is in the US.
Get in touch with him and do a deal like your leader KP did.
It is still not too late to help your poor cousins.