MIC Youth and Indian NGOs to hold demo on Sri Lankan president’s visit to M’sia

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 23 : MIC Youth and Indian NGOs will hold a demonstration in front of the Sri Lankan High Commission next Wednesday to protest a planned visit by their president Mahinda Rajapaksa to Malaysia early next month.

The Star Online reported, MIC Youth chief T Mohan claimed Mahinda’s presence in the country is not welcomed by Malaysia’s Indian community, who hold him responsible for alleged atrocities committed against ethnic Tamil Sri Lankans when they crushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009.

Mohan handed over a memorandum of protest to Foreign Deputy Minister A Kohilan Pillay at the Foreign Ministry Friday.

Mahinda is scheduled to attend the three-day World Islamic Economic Forum in Johor this Dec 4-6.

The 67-year-old leader, who took over Sri Lanka’s presidency in 2005, was credited for the Government’s defeat of Tamil Tiger rebels four years later, ending a 26-year civil war.

He has however come under scrutiny by the international community over allegations of human rights violations against ethnic Tamil Sri Lankans over the final months leading to the Government victory over the Tamil Tigers.