Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 11:24:04 AM
ACT NOW NEWS 66: Support efforts to get the Tamil back onto the front page!
Dear Supporters,
Whilst the evidence of war crimes, committed against Tamils in the latter part of a bloody conflict in 2009, has steadily grown so has the silence of the international community! The cause, to obtain an international independent investigation into war crimes in Sri Lanka, is just and pressing, but media 'blindness' (Channel 4 excepted!) and the inactivity of (some) activists is not helping. Those who are concerned that war criminals may escape justice should support all those initiatives that aim to bring the issue back into the limelight! Here are two below:
Despite the UN Report, Channel 4, and testimony of Senior Sri Lankan Officers, we are still awaiting the International Community (IC) to take that next step. Frustrated by the world's inactivity on an independent war crimes investigation, last year some human rights campaigners (Tamil and non alike) supported and took part in a walk from Manchester to London to highlight this lack of action. The same team is now to undertake a month-long walk from London to Geneva demanding "Justice for Tamils."!
Billed as the "Walk for Justice & Peace" (http://forjusticeandpeace.org/) the team is calling for:
1) An Independent International Investigation into war crimes and Crimes against Humanity in Sri Lanka.
2) An Independent International Human Rights Watch Body to be set up in Sri Lanka by the UN to safeguard the Tamil people from mass atrocities.
3) A UN sponsored referendum on the Right to National Self-Determination of the Tamil people.
Starting on the 28th January they aim to finish on the 27th February to join a mass demonstration demanding "Justice for Tamils", organised by the exiled Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), to coincide with the opening of the 19th (over four weeks long) Session of the UN Human Rights Council. It is hoped that these activities will ensure Sri Lanka goes onto UNHRCs Agenda.
We ask all our supporters to see them off at the start of the walk (or even join them for a while!) on Saturday 28th January from Downing Street, London at 10.00 am.
EXPOSE WAR CRIMES BY STANDING A CANDIDATE FOR LONDON'S MAYOR!
Act Now director, Graham Williamson, is calling for an Independent candidate to stand at the Mayor of London elections to help promote the iii campaign for an independent investigation e-petition (http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/14586) and to get the Tamil cause (and other 'stateless' small nations) back on the front pages!
Graham said "This is a golden opportunity for Tamils and their supporters to re-generate interest in their plight as well as getting the petition up to 100,000 (presently under 3,000) which will lead to the war crimes being debated in Parliament. I am calling upon all those concerned with these issues to get behind the call. We are ultimately looking for a sponsor, as £25k is beyond our personal funds. However, for that we not only get publicity, endorsements and a visible public campaign, we get our message in two pages in the Mayor's election booklet sent out to over 3.5 million homes!"
He added "Since every voter gets a first preference and second preference vote, people can still vote for the eventual winner and EVERYONE can still sign the petition! And if one of the main candidates wants to endorse the petition we can return the compliment!? This is a win-win project. Will you support it?"
We have until the end of March to stand a candidate. If you wish to support the campaign join the new Facebook cause at: http://www.causes.com/causes/648144-calling-london-to-act-on-sri-lankan-war-crimes. If you want to find out more, or to help in other ways, want Graham to address a meeting to explain in person and/or send a small donation towards it, please e-mail him at williamson_graham@yahoo.co.uk.
End
Graham Williamson, Director, Act Now
Tel: +44(0)7970 455 445
Email: info.actnow@gmail.com
Site: www.act-now.info
Tim Martin, Director, Act Now
Tel: +44(0)7817 504 227
Email: info.actnow@gmail.com
Site: www.act-now.info
Sockalingham Yogalingam, Asst. Director, Act Now
Tel: +44(0)7948 380433
Email: info.actnow@gmail.com
Site: www.act-now.info
1 Attached files| 26KB
-
Fw: ACT NOW NEWS 66: Support efforts to get the Tamil back onto the front page!.eml
Download