Tamil Sydney

Food War against Tamils - Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's World Human Rights Day Message

Four months after the closure of A9, Jaffna’s economic lifeline, bakeries are closed, and shelves in the co-operatives and private shops are empty, as stocks have depleted and fresh supplies dwindled. Assurances given by the Government of Sri Lanka to provide sufficient food and essentials to Jaffna Peninsula have only brought in supplies of rice and lentils by sea. There's no sugar, oil, milk, the basics. People queue from morning until afternoon by the special military shops run by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) adjoining their camps for a rationed amount of essential commodities. Colombo appears adamant to continue to prosecute the food war with Jaffna residents.

How the Colombo’s media mouthpieces of the Sri Lankan Government try their best to project these collaborators and informers as messiahs of Eelam Tamils is indeed worth a post-graduate dissertation, for any young aspirant. Last month, septugenarian Veerasingham Anandasangari was honored in Paris with the 2006 UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh prize. For quite a percent of Eelam Tamils, this so-called 'humanitarian award' to a chameleon politician who isn’t known for any creative output whatsoever for the benefit of his people, and who hasn’t authored a single book in any language (including his own mother tongue Tamil!) on any theme of societal interest, was a supreme puzzle.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse made a televised address to the nation on Wednesday night announcing the reimposition of the country’s notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The PTA, which was revoked after the 2002 ceasefire was signed with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), gives the security forces sweeping powers to detain and interrogate “terrorist suspects” without trial.

I remember my grandfather telling me how in the Second World War on Christmas Day he played cards with the German soldiers on the front line. For one day, there was peace. Surely for one day in Sri Lanka not a bomb could go off, not a bullet could be fired. The United Nations should call on the people of Sri Lanka to demonstrate that goodness does prevail in the world with a day of peace on 26 December 2006.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Member of Parliament Mr K Sivanesan has today sent the Eela Tamils' gratitude to the Honourable Chief Minister, political parties and the 80million people in Tamil Nadu state for their continued support to the Tamils of Eelam. He thanked the political parties that are putting the suffering of the Eelam Tamils at the forefront of Indian politics and working tirelessly to stop India from aiding Sri Lanka in its war against the Tamils.

Prevention of Terrorism Act, suspended for 5 years has again come into force. The Prevention of Terrorism Act, introduced during the J.R,Jayawardene regime, was upheld by every successive Sri Lankan government with amendments. Likewise, President Rajapakse’s government has also brought into force the PTA with certain amendments.
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13 tamil civilians injured in Sri Lankan Army shelling in Vaharai

Sri Lankan military has been shelling from Mahinthapuram and Kallaru military camps towards the Vaharai area from last night. At 11.30am today, Sri Lankan military fired artillery shells fell inside the Patchenai school, converted into refugee camp, in Vaharai, injuring many civilians. So far 10 serious injuries to civilians have been reported. SLMM has been informed of the attack on the refugee camp.

Human Rights in Sri Lanka

Human rights violations are on the increase and humanitarian rules have been violated in Sri Lanka. The situation is worsening in recent times. This is not an accusation made against the government from within Sri Lanka. This is an accusation made by an international expert panel from outside Sri Lanka. This group has appealed to the UNHCR to take these violations into consideration and to take appropriate action against the Lankan government.

Robert O. Blake, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka paid a sudden visit to Jaffna Thursday and met with Jaffna Bishop Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagam at the Bishop's House, and discussed the current situation in the Jaffna peninsula, source in Jaffna said. The Rev. Bishop stressed on the urgent need for the Co-chair countries to exert due pressure on the Sri Lanka government (GoSL) to restore peace in Sri Lanka, Bishop's House sources said.

In a significant recognition of the deterioration of the security and human rights situation in Sri Lanka, the Home Office announced on 08/12/2006 that Sri Lanka is to be removed from the ‘white list’ of countries deemed safe.Sri Lanka was added to the ‘white list’ under section 94 of Nationality, Immigration & Asylum Act 2002 in July 2003. This meant that asylum seekers from Sri Lanka routinely found that their claims were certified, so that they had no right of appeal to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal against the Home Office’s refusal of their asylum claims, before being removed from the UK to Sri Lanka.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly Thursday adopted a resolution expressing deep concern over the conditions of Tamils in Sri Lanka who lacked 'protection to life and property'. State Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi moved the resolution, which said: 'This house is deeply concerned about the travails of the Tamils in Sri Lanka because of lack of protection to life and property. 'We request the central government to take necessary steps to alleviate the situation to the satisfaction of all concerned.'

Dr M Karunanidhi, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu speaking at the Eelam Tamils' Protection Convention held on Thursday said that he would be the first person to visit an independent Tamil Eelam. Dr Karunanidhi promised to take up the issue of Eelam Tamils at the highest levels in Indian politics and promised the unwavering support of the 80million Tamils in Tamil Nadu state for their brethren across the sea.

“The right is more precious than peace.” -Woodrow Wilson
When a country is being ravaged by war, an account of the events and reasons which caused it is topical and calls for no apology or explanation.

There appears to be a general misinformation concerning the civil war in this island. It is often repeated, particularly in the information media that the Tamils are fighting for a separate state because they are discriminated against in education and employment opportunities by the majority Sinhalese.

By: Professor Aaron Rajah
Dear Mr. Ambassador,
I had an opportunity to read the transcript of your interview with the Sri Lanka National Television Rupavahini on November 30th, 2006. I want to congratulate your candid observation on the Sri Lankan ethnic issue. I must say that during your interview you seemed to be much more realistic than your predecessors who in my view intentionally glorified the anti Tamil Sri Lanka press.

By: Dr.C.P.Thiyagarajah
December 6 will be a saddest day for the Tamils all over the world. The Sinhala extremists have reintroduced the Prevention of the Terrorism Act (PTA) in order to punish the supporters of the freedom fighters when they find that their armed forces are no match to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. This will include right thinking outspoken Sinhalese like Dr Brian Senevirutne, Mr Kumar Rupersinghe, Mr L Kotalawala, and many others.

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