UN High Commissioner Details Serious Abuses, CTC Calls for immediate Action

For Immediate Release

September 26, 2013

UN High Commissioner Details Serious Abuses, CTC Calls for immediate Action

Geneva/New York/Toronto September 26, 2013 - The Canadian Tamil Congress welcomes the oral report presented yesterday by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, to the Human Rights Council on her recent visit to Sri Lanka. This historical visit and her report were mandated by Council Resolution A/HRC/22/L.1/Rev.1, which also requires High Commissioner Pillay to provide a more comprehensive, written report in March 2014.

“The High Commissioner has once again highlighted the deteriorating human rights violations in Sri Lanka, emphasizing the plight of war widows, missing civilians, mass militarization, land grabs and Sinhalization of Tamil areas alike. She has confirmed the ongoing realities of the Tamil people living in the North; the conditions she describes are those of second class citizens, living in a country and under a government whose leaders are accused of allegedly committing war crimes and crimes against humanity,” stated David Poopalapillai, from New York, NY. “Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka have been waiting for the United Nations and the international community to act, and this report by the High Commissioner demands such decisive action. CTC therefore calls upon the United Nations Human Rights Council, General Assembly, and the Security Council to call for an independent, international investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity. We also call upon the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group to take up the topic of Sri Lanka at their next meeting, and move for a change of venue for CHOGM 2013” concluded Poopalapillai.

In her report, the High Commissioner cites the level of military presence, and its increasing involvement in various aspects of civilian life, as one of the most pressing challenges faced by the victims of the war, namely the Tamil population in the North and East of the island. Just last week, the Northern Provincial Council elections took place for the first time in over 25 years, electing a provincial government headed overwhelmingly by the Tamil National Alliance. These Provincial Councils are constitutionally mandated to oversee policing and land issues. “Given the establishment of the Northern Provincial Government, we call upon the government of Sri Lanka to fully withdraw its military from the North and East of Sri Lanka, in order to ensure the restoration of normalcy for the war affected people,” stated Vani Selvarajah, Board Member of the Canadian Tamil Congress from Geneva, Switzerland. “Withdrawal of the military should be immediate, unconditional, and complete and should take place by December 31, 2013—in time for the international community to properly address Sri Lanka’s human rights record at the March Session of the Human Rights Council,” stated Selvarajah.

For Media Inquiries, please contact:

Geneva: Ms. Vani Selvarajah – +41 (0) 76 627 82 38, Board of Director, Canadian Tamil Congress

New York: Mr. David Poopalapillai – 905-781-7034, National Spokesperson, Canadian Tamil Congress

Toronto: Canadian Tamil Congress Head Office – 416-240-0078

Published on: 09/26/13 04:39