A Tamil protestor outside the UN in Geneva last month.
A Sinhala-Buddhist organisation has lodged a protest with the Swiss Embassy in Colombo, demanding action against what it described as “LTTE activities” in Geneva.
The group, styling itself as the Collective of Organisations for the Protection of War Heroes and the Sri Lankan Unitary State, delivered a letter to the Embassy claiming that Tamil diaspora organisations were “continuously allowed to promote and encourage separatism” by organising events near the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. It objected to the public display of “LTTE insignia” during the Council’s sessions.
A spokesperson for the group accused Switzerland of failing to act, while also criticising the current Sri Lankan National People’s Power (NPP) government for being “not interested in addressing the issue.”
Tamil diaspora organisations and activists have regularly staged protests and events in Geneva during UNHRC sessions, calling for international investigations into the Mullivaikkal genocide and ongoing militarisation in the North-East.
Sinhala nationalist groups have repeatedly attempted to pressure foreign governments to curb these activities, claiming they are “terrorist propaganda” rather than political advocacy for accountability and justice.