OPINION

Opinion

Latest news from and about the homeland

From Visionary to Bystander: How ITAK has forgotten its historic roots
  Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), the largest Tamil party in Sri Lanka and once a pioneer of Tamil nationalism in the first decades after the independence of Ceylon, has strayed far from its historic mission. Founded in 1949 as the Federal Party, ITAK was born out of the necessity to challenge the Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarianism that sought to dismantle the political and cultural…

Australia policy emboldens Sri Lanka

Nov 20, 2013
Dr Nick Cheesman, a research fellow at the department of political and social change in the Australian National University's College of Asia and the Pacific, writes in the Canberra Times arguing that Abbott's deportation policy damages Australia's credibility and endangers the rights of asylum seekers coming from Sri Lanka.

See here for full article. Extracts reproduced below:
"At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka at the weekend, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that while his government ''deplores the use of torture, we accept that sometimes, in difficult circumstances, difficult things happen''.

The time for an international investigation is now

Nov 20, 2013
J. S. Tissainayagam
Acclaimed journalist J. S. Tissainayagam in an opinion on Thursday, argued that an international investigation into Sri Lanka's war crimes is long overdue.

See here for full article. Extracts reproduced below:

"British Prime Minister David Cameron’s presence at last week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) facilitated coverage that might not have been possible otherwise for media organisations. But if the human rights and war crimes issues highlighted by the international media are to be redressed and Commonwealth values and international law upheld, the band-aid solution proposed by the Sri Lanka government and aided by the Commonwealth Secretariat has to be dismissed. Instead, what is required is implementing an international investigation into war crimes."

Scotland's silence over Sri Lanka disappointing

Nov 20, 2013
Richard Hamer, programme director of Amnesty International in Scotland criticised Scotland’s sports minister Shona Robison for not speaking out about human rights while in Colombo. Writing in the Scotsman, Hamer argued that the UN Human Rights Council must establish an international investigation in its March session.

See here for full article. Extracts reproduced below:
“THERE has been much talk of the legacy the 2014 Commonwealth Games will leave for the people of Glasgow and Scotland as a nation, but becoming a
silent witness to war crimes was not the sort of thing we had in mind.”

Abbott's stance on Sri Lanka's human rights is craven and irresponsible

Nov 16, 2013
Ben Doherty

Extract’s from an opinion in the Sydney Morning Herald by Ben Doherty, South Asia correspondent:

Cameron calls on Commonwealth leaders to unite on Sri Lanka’s rights abuses

Nov 13, 2013

Writing in the Times of India on Thursday, British Prime Minister David Cameron called on the leaders of Commonwealth to unite in pressing for a thorough investigation into Sri Lanka’s war crimes, and for “an end to the intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders, action to stamp out torture, demilitarisation of the north and reconciliation between communities.”

"Of course," Mr. Cameron said, "we need to see a thorough investigation into alleged war crimes, and if it does not happen rapidly, an international independent investigation will be needed."

Britain should secure alternative to Sri Lanka for Commonwealth chair – Ed Miliband

Nov 13, 2013
Ed Miliband
Writing in the Tamil Guardian today, Britain’s Leader of the Opposition, Ed Miliband, said Premier David Cameron, having rejected calls, including by the Labour Party, to boycott this week’s Commonwealth summit in Colombo, should now ensure Sri Lanka is not permitted to chair the Commonwealth for the next two years.
 
The full text of Mr. Miliband’s opinion follows:


The Prime Minister flies to a summit in Colombo today amidst growing and continuing concerns about Sri Lanka’s human rights record after two decades of civil war.

An estimated 40,000 civilians died in that brutal conflict and yet there has still been no investigation into allegations of war crimes because the Sri Lankan government has so far refused to carry one out.

Instead of making progress, the situation in Sri Lanka seems to be getting worse.

Last month, Britain's cross-party foreign affairs select committee criticised the scant evidence of progress in political and human rights.

Solutions Needed in Sri Lanka - US Reps. Davis and Johnson

Nov 12, 2013
Writing in the Roll Call, US Reps. Danny Davis and Bill Johnson, criticised the lack of progress on implementing "a viable plan for lasting peace and reconciliation".

See here for full op-ed, extract published below:
"More than four years after Sri Lanka’s ethnic-fueled internal conflict came to an end after 26 years, the country has yet to implement a viable plan for lasting peace and reconciliation.

‘Regional interests’ of Tamil Nadu must be part of Indian foreign policy

Nov 11, 2013
Karthick RM
Writing in the Weekend Leader, Karthick RM hailed the decision of Manmohan Singh not to attend CHOGM in Colombo this week as a 'symbolic victory', but stated it was not enough, calling for a 'serious re-think' of Indian foreign policy towards Sri Lanka.

Stating that a complete boycott was still needed, he went on to coment that the regional interests of Tamil Nadu were integral to India's foreign policy, adding that Tamil activists from across the globe have "emerged as a well-networked community" and are "constantly expanding their spheres of influence in opinion making".

David Cameron, a boycott is the only way you can help the Tamil people

Nov 10, 2013
Kana Nirmalan, British Tamils Forum (BTF)
A few days from now David Cameron will arrive in Colombo to shake hands with a man who presided over the killing of at least 40,000 Tamil civilians and whose government continues to perpetrate shocking cases of rape, torture and mutilation – when the doors open on the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka. As he sits down to watch the opening ceremony, the Prime Minister will not be able ignore the absence of two of his most prominent counterparts – the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, and the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh. Both are boycotting the event.

David Cameron's explanation is too little too late

Nov 7, 2013
Abinaya Nathan
If Number 10 is about to breathe a sigh of relief, they ought to know that their last ditch and very public efforts to engage with British Tamils have fallen far short of their placating intentions. Considering the Tamil community makes up over 100,000 of the British electorate, David Cameron was absolutely right to think he owed us an explanation. It’s just a shame that the explanation was far too little, too late.

Australia policy emboldens Sri Lanka
The time for an international investigation is now
Scotland's silence over Sri Lanka disappointing
Abbott's stance on Sri Lanka's human rights is craven and irresponsible
Cameron calls on Commonwealth leaders to unite on Sri Lanka’s rights abuses
Britain should secure alternative to Sri Lanka for Commonwealth chair – Ed Miliband
Solutions Needed in Sri Lanka - US Reps. Davis and Johnson
‘Regional interests’ of Tamil Nadu must be part of Indian foreign policy
David Cameron, a boycott is the only way you can help the Tamil people
David Cameron's explanation is too little too late
Australia policy emboldens Sri Lanka
The time for an international investigation is now
Scotland's silence over Sri Lanka disappointing
Abbott's stance on Sri Lanka's human rights is craven and irresponsible
Cameron calls on Commonwealth leaders to unite on Sri Lanka’s rights abuses
Britain should secure alternative to Sri Lanka for Commonwealth chair – Ed Miliband
Solutions Needed in Sri Lanka - US Reps. Davis and Johnson
‘Regional interests’ of Tamil Nadu must be part of Indian foreign policy
David Cameron, a boycott is the only way you can help the Tamil people
David Cameron's explanation is too little too late