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The Global Tamil Forum hosted their 3rd anniversary conference at the British Houses of Parliament on Wednesday, which was attended by senior representatives from all three of Britain’s major political parties.
The conference, held in the esteemed Palace of Westminster, was addressed by the Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the ruling coalition’s Liberal Democrats Party Nick Clegg and Chariman of the ruling Conservative Party Grant Shapps, as well as the leader of the opposition Labour Party Ed Miliband, who all reaffirmed calls for a credible investigation into allegations of human rights violations in Sri Lanka.
Prime Minister David Cameron also sent his best wishes to the event, stating that “it is important that Sri Lanka properly investigates alleged breaches of humanitarian and international law and those responsible are held to account”.
See his full statement here.
Also addressing the event were several British Members of Parliament from across all three parties, as well as activists and the leader of the Tamil National Alliance R Sampanthan.
Film director Callum Macrae played excerpts from his new documentary “No Fire Zone: Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields”, which Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg paid tribute to, saying the film left him “reeling” as well as “shocked, distressed and moved”. He went on to call for a “proper thorough credible investigation” into allegations of war crimes and praised Britain’s Tamil community for their “immense contribution”, saying, “Thank you for everything you do”.
Leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband also praised the British Tamil community stating they were “part of what makes Great Britain”. Stating that all three major parties had come to address the event, he went on to note that the “debate is moving to an all party view that action needs to be taken” on Sri Lanka and that the Labour Party was “determined to work for international independent investigation”.
Sayeeda Warsi, Senior Minister of State at the British Foreign Office also called for 'free and fair elections for Northern Province in September with international observers', in her address to the conference and said the "British government has consistently called for an independent and thorough investigation".
Another frequently visited topic was that of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting due to be held in Sri Lanka, with several British MP’s calling for the government not to attend. Warsi, however, told the audience that “as the UK has repeatedly said we have not yet decided on the level on any attendance”.
The TNA leader R Sampanthan also addressed the event, detailing a history of post-independence Sri Lanka and said the state thought it could "conceal itself behind a cloak of sovereignity".
Also addressing the event were representatives from the African National Congress, the Royal Commonwealth Society, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch amongst many others.
Tamil Guardian was covering the day live through our Twitter feed.
See our Twitter page here for full coverage of the day.
Selected tweets have been republished below.
Ms Naomi Ribbon Mosholi, International Relations Manager of the African National Congress addresses the room. #gtfconf
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
NRM - a glimmer of hope is seen in the process driven by the UNHRC
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
Robert Halfon @halfon4harlowmp now speaks
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
RH - as a Jewish person my duty to help other nations from marginalization, demonisation and #genocide #gtfconf
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
RH - I will not go to #Syria to meet Assad and I will not go to #SriLanka while it remains a dictatorship and barbaric regime #gtfconf
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
RH - we are here for justice, equality and self-determination #gtfconf
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
RH - I believe the intl community should recognise what happened as #genocideand the perpetrators should be brought to international court
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
Next speaker is Mr Peter Kellner, Chair of the Royal Commonwealth Society and president of YouGov #gtfconf
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
PK - it is so disturbing that so many have voiced strong criticism of #SriLanka human rights record #gtfconf #lka
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
PK- as a minimum #lka must meet UN resolution and work with intl organisations to investigate allegations of serious violations of HR
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
PK - far better to abandon plans tomeet in Colombo than abandon principles in Harare Declaration #gtfconf
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
Next is Bawa Abdul Kader dep. chairman of #SriLanka teachers union and ex- gen. sec. of Up Country Mass Movement
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
BAK - UN did nothing to stop the #genocide and indirectly allowed it to happen by withdrawing staff #gtfconf
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
BAK - not about regime change. We have suffered under UNP and SLFP. Like changing pillows for a headache #gtfconf
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg watches clips of shelling from new #killingfields documentary @nofirezonemovie by @callum_macrae
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
Ed Davey @edwarddaveymp recalls how he supported withdrawal of GSP+ trade preferences from #SriLanka
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
Lee Scott MP - Apologises for the lack of justice, lot of noise, not helping. 'those who perpetrated acts of genocide must pay the price'
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
Next @ed_miliband leader of Labour Party @uklabour - you are part of what makes GB, the country is proud of the role you play. #Tamil
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
EM - I want to say v clearly, working cross party, determined to work for international independent investigation that you have longed for.
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
Conservative Party Chairman Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps MP next to address #gtfconf
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
GS - Prime minister @david_cameron takes keen interest in GTF and what's going on. Proud to be here as Conservative party chairman
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
. @dalexandermp -V real v pressing and grave concerns. Human rights abuses continue today and are unchecked. #lka #gtfconf
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
Next @eriksolheimsv - this week haunted by eyes of Prabhakaran's son. Same age as my son. Same eyes as my son. Completely unacceptable.
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
ES- Federalism/devolution/self determination/self rule so many diff words but core of Tamil struggle, it remains. It is not rocket science.
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013
Next to address #gtfconf is @sayeedawarsi - Brit gov consistently calls for independent thorough investigation in #SriLanka
— Tamil Guardian (@TamilGuardian) February 27, 2013