| Banned arms use by Sri Lankan military forces needs investigation |
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".. We look forward to an urgent investigation by U.N. on the banned arms use by Sri Lankan Government as reported in the above news item in the near future. Your assurance and any details on the actions to be taken by the U.N. and the International Governments that, such a crime against humanity by the Sri Lankan Government will be duly investigated and those responsible will be brought under trial in International Courts, would ease the pain of the suffering Tamil community in the Northeast of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Diaspora around the world..."
His Excellency Ban Ki-moon His Excellency Re: Banned arms use by Sri Lankan military forces needs investigation On behalf of the Tamil Diaspora in Australia, the Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations (AFTA) would like to bring to your urgent attention the following news item by Carol Glatz that appeared in Catholic News Service on 22 May 2009 as a report of an interview with a humanitarian worker who came out of Vanni, as below: The reporter claims that “the Sri Lankan government forces killed or injured 25,000-30,000 civilians in the span of just a few days during its final offensive against Tamil militants according to a humanitarian worker who just left the country”. Further, the report stated that high number of casualties was caused by "a generous use" of weapons, such as cluster and chemical bombs, that are banned by international treaties and, therefore, their use represents a crime against humanity. The humanitarian worker has also told Catholic News Service in Rome on May 21 that the Government forces launched a ground offensive in Vanni, bombarding areas with cluster bombs, cannons, multi-barrel rocket launchers, and chemical and incendiary bombs such as Napalm and white phosphorous. While the international community would expect and hope that there will be inquiries regarding the recent war crimes by the Sri Lankan military forces in the “safety zone” in the Northeast of the country soon, the Tamil Diaspora in Australia would like to urge U.N. to investigate the banned arms use by Sri Lankan military forces before Sri Lanka has an opportunity to completely wipe out any evidences of such war crimes. We look forward to an urgent investigation by U.N. on the banned arms use by Sri Lankan Government as reported in the above news item in the near future. Your assurance and any details on the actions to be taken by the U.N. and the International Governments that, such a crime against humanity by the Sri Lankan Government will be duly investigated and those responsible will be brought under trial in International Courts, would ease the pain of the suffering Tamil community in the Northeast of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Diaspora around the world. Yours truly, Dr. Raga Ragavan |
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