K Pragalath and B Nantha Kumar | June 24, 2011
A delegation of opposition parliamentarians and NGO representatives listed out their demands for better treatment of those in Sri Lankan camps.
KUALA LUMPUR: A delegation of opposition parliamentarians, NGO representatives and a senator, appalled by the treatment of Sri Lankan Tamils and Muslims, today handed over memorandum to the Sri Lankan High Commissioner here.
But to reach the Sri Lankan envoy DD Ranasinghe’s office, the delegation of about 40 people, had to pass through heavy police presence.
The delegation was led by PKR’s Sungai Petani MP Johari Abdul, Balik Pulau MP Yusmadi Yusoff, and Subang parliamentarian R Sivarasa. They were joined by Teluk Intan MP M Manoharan, Senator S Ramakrishnan and Tamil Foundation representative K Arumugam.
On Wednesday, Johari attempted to file a motion in Dewan Rakyat to discuss the plight of the Sri Lankan Tamils but the motion was denied by Deputy Speaker Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar on the grounds that it was Sri Lanka’s internal affairs.
The delegation today had an hour-long discussion with Ranasinghe.
Speaking to FMT later, Manoharan, who visited Sri Lanka with Johari Abdul and Ramakrishnan early this month, said: “The Sri Lankan High Commission claimed that there is complete restoration but we saw 300,000 internally displaced people (IDPs), of whom 80,000 are widows.“There are attempts to wipe out the (Tamil) community and the Muslim community is also suffering.
“The military is enjoying the fruits of war and they have lied to us on a government-to- government level,” Manoharan said.
Manoharan said the envoy will respond to the memorandum in writing by the end of the month.
In the memorandum the group listed several demands. Among them were:
- immediate action to be taken to provide the people in IDP camps with all the basic needs including sanitation and clean drinking water; and
- immediate withdrawal of military personnel and replacing them with full civil administration in the north and north-eastern provinces of Sri Lanka.
