[Suren Surendiran, Global Tamil Forum, 24 March 2010]
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Suren Surendiran is a senior member of the British Tamils Forum and the official spokesperson for the Global Tamil Forum. The opinions expressed are his own. -
“Some governments try to dodge criticism by claiming that human rights are ‘western values’. But people all over the world prove them wrong by demanding and suffering for their human rights – be they imprisoned protesters in Iran, or murdered journalists in Russia, or civilians caught up in conflicts in Sri Lanka or Gaza. We must continue to support people who demand their human rights across the world.” – David Miliband, Foreign Secretary, Statement to mark International Human Rights Day, 10 December 2009 -
Sri Lanka’s president is pressing forward with parliamentary elections on April 8, 2010 despite allegations of electoral malpractice surrounding his own presidential election victory in January, the country facing economic crisis and growing international criticisms for the State’s callous disregard for human rights, general governance and lack of political will to resolve the 62 years long conflict.
The U.S. State Department, in its Annual Report on Human Rights for 2009, has been highly critical of the Sri Lankan government. It says the government or paramilitary groups close to it were involved in summary killings and disappearances and that lawyers and journalists were harassed and victimised. It says the war-affected parts of the country saw the greatest number of political disappearances, estimated to be in the hundreds.
Britain has also named Sri Lanka a “country of concern” in the latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights Report 2009. “This reflects our concern about allegations of serious conflict violations, as well as the deteriorating status of the rule of law and freedom of expression…” – United Kingdom Foreign & Commonwealth Office Annual Report on Human Rights 2009
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on March 8, 2010 expressed “concerns about the lack of progress on political reconciliation, the treatment of Internally Displaced Persons and the setting up of an accountability process in Sri Lanka”.
The prospect of a panel of experts being appointed to advise the Secretary General on accountability issues relating to Sri Lanka was not welcomed by President Rajapakse who said it was “uncalled for and unwarranted”.
Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations Sir Mark Lyall Grant has said that UK disagrees with the argument put forward by the Non-Aligned Movement and that “[Secretary General] does have a mandate through the U.N. charter to uphold human rights and humanitarian international law, and therefore he is entirely within his rights to set up a group of experts who will advise him on taking forward his concerns about some of the allegations that have been made in the recent months in Sri Lanka”. – Colombopage, 20 Mar 2010
“Sri Lanka’s government has sought an additional 39.6 billion rupees ($345 million) to fund its military, a 20 percent increase from the original defence budget despite the end of a 25-year war against Tamil Tigers in May.
“Sri Lanka has a public sector of around 6 percent of the population. Maintaining loss-making public institutions without reforms, high and unproductive subsidies, a government with over 110 Ministers and expenditures that make more political than economic sense are other factors in the deficit.” – Reuters, March 4, 2010
It is no surprise that the International Monetary Fund has delayed the third tranche of a $2.6 billion loan after Sri Lanka failed to achieve its budget deficit target to reduce deficit to 7 percent of GDP.
An IMF mission to Sri Lanka in February concluded that they were unable to “complete” its review until the pending parliamentary elections in April. It is however important to note that Sri Lanka’s last two IMF programs ended with missions that were unable to “complete reviews”, effectively staying suspended. – Lanka Business Online, 25 Feb 2010.
Despite Sri Lanka’s claims that it can overcome suspension of IMF loan, the country is already fearing the affects of the temporary suspension of General Scheme of Preference (GSP+) trade concessions due to come into effect in August 2010.
“Western countries, and groups in the Tamil Diaspora, are pressing for some kind of accountability for thousands of civilian deaths at the end of the war. Sri Lanka is adamant its soldiers did not violate international law, and that for now has cost it enhanced European Union trade preferences known as GSP+ worth $136 million a year.” – Reuters, 2 Mar 2010
Some of these above quotes and links stand as evidence that credible independent media organisations, institutions and foreign governments have highlighted facts, which I have used to illustrate my argument that the Rajapaksha regime is driving Sri Lanka into economic ruin for the sake of power at the cost of humanity itself.
It is hoped that all donors including China, Japan and India will follow precedence set by Britain and the U.S. in persuading Sri Lanka to address its human rights record.
It is against this backdrop and as part of its campaign to create worldwide awareness of the real human rights situation in Sri Lanka, the Global Tamil Forum has called for a worldwide boycott of Sri Lankan products and services – www.boycottsrilanka.com
Best Comment
March 24th, 2010
10:15 pm GMT
Sri Lanka continues to pledge one thing to obtain aid/fund/concessions and yet do another. Despite the Sri Lankan regime's blatent disregard for adhering to its obligations under international law little has been done to instil confidence in these global principles that should secure peace and justice for all citizens. Indeed all donors must take the responsibility to ensure they are not party to the Sri Lankan government's ongoing human rights abuses, attacks on voices of dissent, prevention of freedom of expression, state sanctioned abductions, torture and arbitrary killings. It's about time that the world stopped this rogue state and set an example through an economic boycott of Sri Lanka until Tamils are able to live in peace with justice and dignity in their homeland.
-Posted by Thevika
41 comments so far March 24th, 2010 17:47 GMT - Posted by David G
Time to Boycott Sri Lanka, yes including R & B Artist Akon, who says is saddened by the visa denial stone pelting at the TV station etc.
Sri Lanka has uses several guises to misrepresent its real intentions; the only goal is subjugating the minorities under a new fig leaf.
Its time the world tells “NO” to Sri Lanka.
March 24th, 2010 17:51 GMT - Posted by David G
Time to Boycott Sri Lanka, yes including R & B Artist Akon, who says is saddened by the visa denial stone pelting at the TV station etc.
Akon, did not offend Buddhism at all. Its just that the Government of Sri Lanka is using him to attack Tamil owned and independent media house and to show off before the General Elections that they are the “Guardians of Buddhism”.
Sri Lanka has uses similar guises to misrepresent its real intentions; the only goal is subjugating the minorities under a new fig leaf.
Its time the world tells “NO” to Sri Lanka.
March 24th, 2010 20:16 GMT - Posted by johnBayson
This is like a kid lashing out. The truth is, a war is over in Sri lanka which was funded by these very people who stand on podiums today. Innocent people were murdered by suicide bombings. Where were these people then? To speak about human rights when it only affect ones own race is hypocrisy. The fact that these very people didn’t speak out when innocent non-tamil people were getting slaughtered makes it Racist as well. So the truth is, they need to grow up.
If people don’t visit Sri Lanka, that means less income. Which also means less money to spend on the under developed North & East which has tamil people. Then this very person will stand on a podium and blame the government again. So think sensibly. If you want humans right situation to improve, go to the country. Get the income flowing. Otherwise you have no right to stand on a podium and judge.
March 24th, 2010 21:14 GMT - Posted by lanka
British Tamil Forum funded LTTE to kill innocent Sinhalese and Tamils in Sri Lanka.Now they are talking about Human Rights.What a joke !
Please boycutt Sri Lanka and don’t come.We don’t need terrorist supporters here.You can ask for your Elama in England soil.We have enough people around the world who are willing to visit Sri Lanka.Period.
March 24th, 2010 21:26 GMT - Posted by Jason E.S
If Sri Lanka has any appreciation for international norms and democracy, then it must fully believe that international assistance for economic development and the global financial aid would only become available through the respect for international law and norms: it must believe in the liberty of the individual and the freedom of expression and association where the individual’s inalienable right to participate by means of free and democratic political processes is protected; it must recognise the evils of racial prejudice and intolerance which pose threat to the healthy development of a society without racial discrimination and it must allow unobstructed economic and social development to satisfy the basic needs and aspirations of all segments of the society without discrimination.
There are still more than 100,000 Tamil Internally Displaced People (IDPs) which includes thousands of children illegally held up in many Sri Lankan government run, in-adequately managed, poorly fed, military guarded, and over crowded detention camps. These statistics were confirmed by the United Nations recently. All of these people became refugees in their own land due to the conflict between the Tamil Tigers and Government security forces that ended 9 months ago.
More than 11,000 young Tamils who were allegedly have connection to Tamil rebels are being locked up in secret detention camps without any access to aid workers or independent media for the past eleven months. According to a news paper report, these young Tamils being inhumanly tortured almost daily basis in their detention camps by the Sri Lankan armed forces and paramilitary members.
According to the recent OCHA report, for those Tamil Internally Displaced People (IDPs) still in the government camps the provision of cooked meals at the Menik Farm centre may cease at he beginning of March due to lack of funds. The situation of the Tamil refugees is so hopeless that the International community has a responsibility in taking ownership for the decent survival of these vulnerable since Sri Lanka is not in any hurry or mood to entertain any concern for the Tamil population.
Although, Sri Lankan government claimed to have released over 150,000 IDPs late last year, these people in reality were dumped in places outside their traditional villages, like Vavuniya, Mannar, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Kandy without any proper assistances towards a roof over their heads nor any form of livelihood. Only about 83,000 have been settled in their places of origin. Most of the homes belonging to the IDPs in the north have been illegally occupied by the members of armed forces and their families. This circle also being enlarged to accommodate other Sinhalese, who wanted to engage in business, at the blessings of the Armed forces. Media report also pointing that Sri Lankan government in the process of acquiring IDP lands in the north to attract foreign investors without their consent or compensation.
Abduction, disappearances, arbitrary arrests, attacks, harassment, rapes, and other form of enforced violence are still widely taking place against Tamils in Sri Lanka . Tamil people are fleeing the country through whatever means available to them to escape these types of enforced ill treatments by the Sri Lankan authority.
It is important for the international community (IC), to pursue Sri Lanka ’s crimes against humanity, dire rights abuses and war crimes against its Tamil citizens to bring about the real reconciliation between Tamils and Sinhalese in Sri Lanka . Only then real negotiation can take place between Tamils and Sinhalese to find a negotiated solution based on equal rights and freedoms of Tamils.
The international custodians of the human rights (IC)must unwaveringly and effectively use all the available tools to them including “BOYCOT OF SRI LANKAN PRODUCTS” to force Sri Lanka to comply with the core demands on the rights conventions of the civilized world.
March 24th, 2010 21:27 GMT - Posted by Aru M
The Boycott of Sri Lankan products and services is essential. This is a chauvinistic government that is eroding democratic intuitions in the country and state media is used to hoodwink.
The money and investment in Sri Lanka helps the Rajapaksa brothers’ continue the graft and transparency lacking governance.
Sri Lanka government behind the iron curtain continues with human rights violations, enforced disappearances, incommunicado detentions, altering of demographics and uprooting Tamils from their livelihood.
The Boycott of Sri Lankan products and services-even in sports makes it possible to get Sri Lanka to be humane towards Tamils, open for NGO and direct assistance to the needy Tamil Internally Displaced Peoples.
March 24th, 2010 22:15 GMT - Posted by Thevika
Sri Lanka continues to pledge one thing to obtain aid/fund/concessions and yet do another. Despite the Sri Lankan regime’s blatent disregard for adhering to its obligations under international law little has been done to instil confidence in these global principles that should secure peace and justice for all citizens.
Indeed all donors must take the responsibility to ensure they are not party to the Sri Lankan government’s ongoing human rights abuses, attacks on voices of dissent, prevention of freedom of expression, state sanctioned abductions, torture and arbitrary killings.
It’s about time that the world stopped this rogue state and set an example through an economic boycott of Sri Lanka until Tamils are able to live in peace with justice and dignity in their homeland.
March 24th, 2010 22:27 GMT - Posted by Kumarathasan Rasingam
Only way to bring down the brutal regime is by hitting hard on economy. If all the Sri Lankan diaspora stop buying sri lankan products and if they dont fly Sri Lankan Airlines it will make a big effect. Please support no to sri lanka. Tell your friends and relatives to do this.
March 24th, 2010 22:33 GMT - Posted by Mayooran
I agree with JohnBayson to a certain extent. But no one can run away from the fact the Tamils were murdered like animals in a shooting field in the last weeks of the war. (Which was the pinnacle of their suffering over the last 50 years).
As JohnBayson points out LTTE commited suicide bombings etc and killed civilians in process. As a result they were banned across the globe by international governments.
This never happened to the Sri Lankan Govt for the atrocities commited on the Tamils. This is what many of the Tamil diaspora are campaigning for now.
March 24th, 2010 23:17 GMT - Posted by Nathan
Boycotting Sri Lanka is essential over 40000 Tamils were killed including those several who were shot after they surrendered several hospitals were bombed.This is nearly a third of 120000 killed in the Sri Lankan Civil War.300000 Tamils were forcibly detained for months with no right to movement.Sri Lankan even refuses to order an inquiry into these killing which the UN is calling for.
Sarath Fonseka the opposition candidate is jail for standing against Rajapakse and several journalists,human rights activists have killed ,arrested ,disappeared or have fled the country.
March 24th, 2010 23:28 GMT - Posted by Cicil Pereraq
GTF and its affiliated organisations funded LTTE terrorist movement that killd thousands of innocent people. What was that? Violation of human rights or not?
U.K U.S.A and europe is blind to that . Why/ because they need tamil votes to win and need GTF funds to campaghin. What hipocracy is this? Human rights violated by LTTE is ok. Human rights violated in Iraq and Afghanistan is ok? Dont think that GTF can fool all the people all the time.
March 24th, 2010 23:31 GMT - Posted by Victor England
I have been going to Sri Lanka as a tourist for the past 5 years and I love the country and people. Boycotting Sri Lanka will only exacerbate its problems in my opinion. I have seen a clear improvement in the infrstructure and most of the Army checkpoints are gone when I last visited in Jan 2010. As a Britisher I would highly recommend a visit to this beautiful island with lovely sandy beaches, a rich culture and heritage, wildlife and above all smiling and friendly people.
March 24th, 2010 23:55 GMT - Posted by Joe Lad
“Innocent people were murdered by suicide bombings. The fact that these very people didn’t speak out when innocent non-tamil people were getting slaughtered makes it Racist as well.”
“One of the most striking features of the episodes of communal violence, for instance, has been the lack of retaliation by Tamils against the Sinhalese in their midst, with the result that virtually all the victims on each of these occasions have been Tamils”. (Report on behalf of the International Commission of Jurists-1984.)
P15-para3
David Nixon condenses them in a nut shell.
“State terrorism has always been the major problem in this tiny island. For more than 60 years successive Sri Lankan governments backed by racist Sinhala extremists have been oppressing the Tamil minorities. They brutally killed thousands of innocent Tamils, burnt their properties and sent the rest in ships as refugees to the North of the country in the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties. When the Tamils asked for their rights, Sinhala extremists always responded with violence. But then they finally came to the North to the Tamil homelands as occupying army causing more devastation at their door steps”
Yes. They only did it in retaliation to the violence of the non-Tamils, after suffering in silence for 20years.
“Which also means less money to spend on the under developed North & East which has tamil people”.
Here, one could sense the jackal crying that the sheep is exposed to the elements.
Indra Ghandhi branded a one time Sinhalese leader as a fox. This is what that ‘fox’ said.
“I am not worried about the opinion of the Tamil people… now we cannot think of them, not about their lives or their opinion… the more you put pressure in the north, the happier the Sinhala people will be here… Really if I starve the Tamils out, the Sinhala people will be happy.”
J.R.Jayawardene, Former President of Sri Lanka – Daily Telegraph, 11th July 1983
Development in Northeast compared to the rest of the country was minimal unless it was in tandem with the Sinhala colonization. Now, it is to circumvent the Tamil clamour for self-rule.
March 25th, 2010 00:02 GMT - Posted by Dr C P Thiagarajah
The Sinhala politicians have started the discrimination and marginalisation of the Tamil race long before the LTTE came into the equation. The politicians of the 192 countries in the UN should know this well. Please read the history. Ignorant of the truth the politicians of the membership countries in the UN supported the motion sponsored by Sri-Lanka that it did not break any human rights nor committed any war crimes during the final war in Mullivaikal in Vanni on 16-18 May 2009. These countries believed what the Sri-Lankan said to them after a press gag and sending all the INGOs out of the island.
However the UN permanent resident representative during this period Mr Gorden Weise has categorically stated that the Sri-Lankan government in fact committed genocide of 40000 innocent civilians at Mullivaikal alone.
The only way in which the world citizen could punish the genocidist Sinhala government is to bring in economic pressure by boycotting Sri-Lankan produce and products.This in reality bites the Sinhala racist government hard and at the same time opens the eyes of the governments that supported the genocide. Even the UN was influenced and kept silent through the most foolish UN secretar general Ban Ki Mun.
March 25th, 2010 00:09 GMT - Posted by pali
Well said Mr.Bayson!! Let all Sri Lankans have a chance for a peaceful future after 30 years of bloody war.
March 25th, 2010 00:28 GMT - Posted by david joseph
It’s high time that Sri Lanka’s ‘Pol-Pot’ polity faced scutiny for their genocidal war play against helpless Tamil civilians.
A tribunal at the Hague is long overdue for the Rajapakse brothers and their band of bedfellows.
Human Rights must NOT be written in word alone but followed up with sincere and sustained action. The UN’s Responsibility to Protect (R2P) was a shambles and did nothing whatsoever to erase the haunting memories of Rwanda. It merely stood idle as an inept bystander whilst a tragedy of epic proportions unfolded in the Tamil North of Sri Lanka.
Will Sri Lanka continue to walk all over human dignity or does the UN lack moral will to implement its own policies???
March 25th, 2010 01:54 GMT - Posted by Birchmount
In a recent CNN interview by Sara Sidner, President Rajapakse says that there are only 50,000 Tamil refugees in the detention camps vs. 120,000 per his goverment officials. This is the kind of regard, the Rajapakse brothers have for humanity.
At present time, he surpasses all of the human rights abusers in the world by far.
A vulnerable minority in the hands of brutal ruler with majoritarian supremacism.
Buying any products made in Sri Lanka is to promote his family bandyism and racist policy which in turn will not produce any sustainable peace in that country.
We have seen family mansions from the money swindled from Tsunami.
Interestingly, Rajapakse is crying out for Israeli occupation in Palestine. He merits an Oscar.
March 25th, 2010 02:35 GMT - Posted by Godambara
News,”…the Global Tamil Forum has called for a worldwide boycott of Sri Lankan products and services.”
A little too late.
I thought by now all these LTTE supportive tamils have boycotted SriLankan products. Do not use SriLankan airlines.
Do not step in to SriLanka. period!
Suren Surendiran of GTF should ask all the SriLankan food stores run by tamils in UK, US, Canada etc to stop carrying srilankan goods. Start importing from carribean and sell them as srilankan products.
Yet again a deception of tamils.
See who you’re kidding.
March 25th, 2010 02:52 GMT - Posted by san
hi Joe Lad
as a torist or britisher, you can visit srilanka. we agreed that beautiful country.. but try to see the reality.. srilankan gov killed their own citizen , you have seen only one side.. have you gone to IDP camps area.. never …you wont allowed by gov.
” No To Srilanka ”
thanks Reuters…
March 25th, 2010 04:22 GMT - Posted by Mark Wilson
Sri Lanka is a beautiful country. I hope politicians of that country would exploit the bounteous gifts of nature(pristine beaches, cascading falls, rich fauna and flora and hospitable people) to develop the war-ravaged country. Now that the LTTE menace is gone, Sri Lanka should ensure that it does not revert to the ugly past. A word of caution to external forces: Beware of the traps laid by the LTTE residual elements who are trying to revive the dead organization from a safe distance.
March 25th, 2010 04:33 GMT - Posted by Rajakaruna
What’s all the fuss about? Minorities are discriminated even in America, UK, Canada, Australia,….. indeed all over the world! In Malaysia, there is legalized discrimination against Tamils and Chinese (Bumiputra Law), even though the Malays constitute just over 50% of the population. Even in India, high caste Hindus discriminate against low-caste Dalits, Untouchables. Why do you think Mother Theresa went to pull out untouchables from the gutters of Calcutta? Discrimination based on caste is institutionalized in Hinduism. Such discrimination is rampant among Tamils in Sri Lanka. Business in Colombo is dominated by Tamils! (over 70%). They live in luxury and in safety, have palaces in Colombo and abroad. Move freely in and out of the country. Discrimination? C’mon! Let the facts speak for themselves. Tamils were “obedient servants” of the British and enjoyed all the plum jobs. Now they are complaining as Sinhalese have moved to bring about equity and justice and reverse years of injustice and discrimination against them by British colonialists.
There is only one undivided Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist Sinhala country. If you don’t like it, leave it!
March 25th, 2010 04:43 GMT - Posted by Sam Israel
This is yet another failed venture by Tamil Tigers who are struggling to come to terms with their defeat. Give up no one cares. Tourism is booming in Sri Lanka. Peace is peace for all including Tamils.
March 25th, 2010 07:47 GMT - Posted by NAKKEERAN
The INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY will come to realise that Sri Lanka is never going to modify its behaviour towards Tamils let alone willingly negotiate a political settlement with the Tamil community, without the application of political pressure.
We must call for governments to apply sanctions (political & economic), cut off ties in sport and business and diplomatically isolate Sri Lanka (including suspension from the Commonwealth & travel visas). Some of this will affect Sri Lankans in general but will especially punish the political elites. The screws must be applied until a UN-supervised referendum is offered and until then the country must remain an ‘international pariah’.
Apart from external political pressure we must run an effective Economic War against Sri Lanka to deprive it of foreign currency and direct aid. A successful attack on the Sri Lanka economy will reduce the Government’s capacity to equip and feed its army due to a reduction in taxation revenue (on export remittances), reduce public expenditure on its social infrastructure and increase unemployment (thus reducing the average standard of living) resulting in political demands from the Sinhala public for change. How?
Boycotting
This will involve the boycotting of Sri Lankan products, by persuading firms to stop importing those goods and consumers not to purchase those displaying a ‘Made in Sri Lanka’ label. It will also means campaigning for the withdrawal of aid and concessions offered by the IC e.g. the GSP+
Overall Sri Lanka’s political elites will be faced with a choice; stubbornly refuse to negotiate a vote and live in penury, under political siege at home and isolated from the world (would going to college in Iran or a holiday in China really compensate?) or alternatively agree to a UN supervised referendum and see restrictions removed. We believe they will ultimately take the latter.
If you therefore wish to see Eelam Tamils obtain the peace and justice they need and deserve you must make this happen. Eelam Tamils are presently vulnerable and powerless so it falls to the Tamil Diaspora to pick up the cudgel. There is no other strategy that will achieve these goals and there is no one else that can make it happen. We can win but it is in our hands.
March 25th, 2010 07:51 GMT - Posted by Gobi
Boycotting Sri Lankan products is essential for now as this is the only tools to punish Sri lanka for it’s human rights record. Sri lanka is not respecting international law at all. In 21st century we see a Nazi government which is Sri lanka. Brutal killing still contnues. Tamils in the island have not got any option other than escaping from the country. We will see whether Ban Kee Moon can do anything with his new team which is suppose to investigate human rights records in Sri lanka.
March 25th, 2010 08:36 GMT - Posted by Sen Kandiah
The rate in which the Democracy is destroyed in Sri Lanka is unbelievable. The sad thing is even some big powers are supporting it along with Iran and Pakistan. Now the target is Tamil People in Sri Lanka and slowly turning to Sinhalese as well.
Why we are waiting for the situation to get even worse, let us do it now. By starting the boycott campaign now, we can send a strong signal to the regime in Sri Lanka.
EU cancelled the GSP+ after careful scrutiny of what is happening in Sri Lanka. It is not one Country, 27 of them agreed to this sanction. Oppression of People must stop now.
March 25th, 2010 09:35 GMT - Posted by Krishni Smith
Hello Vicotr England! I appreciate your words about the ‘beautiful’ island of Sri Lanka, BUT you should travel to the Tamil areas in the North to get the real feeling for the country! Not to the beaches in the south which are exploited by the so called ‘tourists’!. When you refer to the ‘beauty’ of the island and the smiling people, ALL citizens should be living there with freedom and dignity…this is very much denied to the Tamils even to some Sinhalese like the fornmer army chief Sarath Fonseka! So, you can imagine the plight of the helpless Tamils in that island! Please take all these issues into consideration. The country’s leadership has to punished and taught a lesson! Please cooperate!
March 25th, 2010 11:09 GMT - Posted by Ratnam
Sri Lankan government has killed over 30000 Tamils and is refusing to allow any investigations related to war crimes committed by its soldiers.
Now they want to continue their business as if though it’s alright to kill Tamils and the rest of the world didn’t see or hear anything.
World community has to take action against Srilanka to prevent another genocide from taking place by anohter fascist state.
March 25th, 2010 12:20 GMT - Posted by Vel
Boycott Sri Lanka is must needed campaign to promote human rights. Sri Lankan government killed more than 200,000 Tamils in the last 60 years and killed more than 40,000 Tamils only last year.
Still forced disappearance, torture and rape continues by the Sri Lankan soldiers. What have been happening in Sri Lanka is Genocide. As a moral and ethical community, sanction against Sri Lanka is much needed to get justice.
March 25th, 2010 12:41 GMT - Posted by haran
Boycotting Sri Lanka & Sri Lankan products is essential, one day truth will come to the light. wait and see, charges war crime against in Sri Lanka is in near future.
March 25th, 2010 14:38 GMT - Posted by ron
Visiting sri lanka is like stepping back in time , with poor roads and railways. I stated my boycott when I visited the poor tea pickers on the island they live in bad conditions, and they seem badly treated by their employees. when you arrive at the airport staff are begging they got their hand out for money this gives a very very bad impression of the island and tourists like Mr England are like a frog in the well. They don’t see what is really going on with poor human rightsin srilanka. the srilankan politicians who criticise the West calling the British Prime Minister, a white tiger and also the Foreign Secretary with this anti-British feeling any British person going for holidays in srilanka should think twice .i am british,i would never step on srilankan soil.
March 25th, 2010 14:39 GMT - Posted by Tamil forum calls for boycott of Sri Lanka « UKTamilNews.com
[...] by admin on Mar.25, 2010, under Sri Lanka Tamil forum calls for boycott of Sri Lanka [...]
March 25th, 2010 15:09 GMT - Posted by senthuran
one thing i have to tell you please don’t fight among us….now is not the time we have to unite as tamils first….put aside our differences.some tamils still blame the tigers for forcing civilians to fight at the last phase of the war but you have to also look at it from their point of view at the last phase of the war their was no law or order no commanding among the tiger every one just wanted to save their life. It was just pure cannibalism….who to blame not the tigers. We tamils around the world should point fingers at our self for not doing enough. should blame the international and the UN for not intervening and mostly blame India for letting this happen. India was only interested in destroying the tiger did not care a single thing about the civilians. And now they regret it. Please now we must unite as tamil and every tamil around the world should do something.
March 25th, 2010 17:32 GMT - Posted by Rajah
johnbayson wrote:
“If people don’t visit Sri Lanka, that means less income. Which also means less money to spend on the under developed North & East which has tamil people. Then this very person will stand on a podium and blame the government again. So think sensibly. If you want humans right situation to improve, go to the country. Get the income flowing. Otherwise you have no right to stand on a podium and judge.”
Rubbish. It is about time that _you_ think sensibly taking into account all the facts, not half-baked opinions.
Rajapakse visits Russia 10 months after the war is over to make a $300 million arms deal and yet Sri-Lanka needs money to flow in to improve the human rights situation?
“The truth is, a war is over in Sri lanka”
Is that so? Well then, kindly explain to everyone on this forum the need for $300 million worth of arms. Money that could be spent to kickstart and significantly improve the economy.
If you cannot answer the question, it would be best for you to stick to the age old adage: It is best for those who are ignorant and pretend to be wise to say nothing than to open their mouths and remove all doubt.
March 25th, 2010 18:04 GMT - Posted by Pauli
If you like to boycott Sri Lanka that is fine. Who cares; Sri Lanka will manage without you.
I agree with Rajakaruna.
March 25th, 2010 20:34 GMT - Posted by ron
boycott srilanka yes,yes,yes…….carry on boycott all products and srilankan holidays untill you have your rights.we british also joined with you all.
March 25th, 2010 20:57 GMT - Posted by Nira
Sri Lanka violates it’s own laws, never mind International laws. Just for Humanity sake everyone MUST boycott Sri Lanka and it’s products, so that the regime sees sense.
March 26th, 2010 08:30 GMT - Posted by janani barathy
The call for boycott by the Global Tamil Forum is timely. It is time for the Tamil Diaspora to hold accountable a regime that has massacred more than 35,000 Tamils in the year 2009 alone and still has thousands in custody without trial.
Some Tamils in the Diaspora have expressed concern that the boycott campaign might be detrimonial to the battered people of North East. But the Boycott of Tea, Textiles, Tourism and Sports will send a strong message to the Sri Lankan government. The boycott call by the Diaspora is not targetting cottage industries.
The Diaspora is also extending help in rebuilding shattered communities. This humanitarian help is also critical ALONG with the boycott campaign. Helping the needy and fighting injustice goes hand in hand.
Janani Barathy
March 26th, 2010 08:49 GMT - Posted by Martin Asscot
Yes, we need boycott Sri Lanka,
we can’t let this murderous state to continue along the path to self destruction. when the past crimes are punished. it will get on the right track.
March 26th, 2010 10:38 GMT - Posted by Jillian Gimore
Just took my family to Sri Lanka on vacation. It was amazing.
Any non-extremist, moderate realises boycotts never work and only hurts those who are hurting even more.
We won’t be boycotting anything.
March 26th, 2010 23:31 GMT - Posted by Ashley Fischer
I sense that Tamils raised on the Tigers virulent propaganda and the Tigers overseas network is at work here. Boycotts have always failed. Whilst you lot are planning on boycotts, Tamils in Sri Lanka are reconciling and moving on. The diaspora is extremely clueless.
March 27th, 2010 00:31 GMT - Posted by Kuhan
I have been raeding most of the coments and it is interseting to notice how much people know about SriLanka & its internal problems. I did not fail to see some rubish comments of Rajakaruna and ihis ignorance.
I also noticed Mr Victor England has only seen the beautiful Sri-Lanka has not visited the other deprived area and how the infrastructer is. He has mentioned about army check points have gone, Yes this is from the airport to Colombo or some other hotels near the beautiful beaches you love. If you know that there were more than 50 temporary army camps has been made permanant in the Tamil Areas. Please Victor & others vistors try & visit those areas next time once then you will no longer say it is a beautiful country and “clear improvement and infrastructure” is not taking place where it is most needed.
Most people are saying the war is over but it is not the war against tamil are still going on, no tamils hate snhalese or against sinahlease but only against the government who systemetically & inhumanly killed so many Tamils.
A justice and a better life for the tamil in their home land is a must.