LTTE ropes in more British MPs

Campaign for war crimes probe:No Fire Zone screened in UK parliament

February 28, 2013, 12:00 pm

Suren

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Amidst Sri Lanka’s protests against the screening of No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka at the ongoing United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva, the British government allowed the screening of the controversial documentary produced by the UK media outfit Channel 4 News in the British Parliament.

The screening took place in the Committee Room 14 of the British Parliament on Feb. 27 with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats and two cabinet ministers, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Teresa Villiers and Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Davey, representing the Liberal Democrats.

The conference coincided with the third anniversary of the UK-based Global Tamil Forum (GTF).

GTF spokesperson Suren Surendiran told The Island yesterday that there had been a significant shift in the British coalition government policy towards Sri Lanka with Liberal Democrats calling for an international war crime investigation.

Responding to a query, Surendiran said that the Opposition and Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband, too, had called for an international independent investigation. The GTF spokesman vowed to continue their campaign until the international community hauled Sri Lanka’s political and military leaders responsible up before a war crimes tribunal.

Although British PM David Cameroon hadn’t been present, the Conservative Party leader had been represented by the most senior party member Grant Shapps, MP, Surendiran said, while appreciating the Premier issuing a comprehensive statement for the conference brochure. Shapps addressed the gathering.

Commenting on ongoing GTF efforts to prevent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) being held in Sri Lanka in November this year, Surendiran said that the Labour Party as well as former Foreign Secretary David Miliband had called for change of venue. They alleged the GoSL had failed to adhere to Commonwealth principle. Surendiran said that the position taken by the Labour Party would bolster GTF’s efforts to have an international war crimes probe launched against Sri Lanka.

Sandya Ekneligoda, wife of missing media personality Prageeth couldn’t attend the conference due to late application for visa though she was scheduled to address the gathering.

Former Norwegian Minister in charge of Sri Lanka’s peace process Erik Solheim reiterated that reconciliation wouldn’t be reality as long as the government failed to address accountability issues.

Surendiran said that the Tamil Diaspora greatly appreciated the presence of top leaders of Labour, Liberal Democrats and Conservatives.

Senior Foreign Minister Baroness Warsi stressed that the government hadn’t taken a decision on attending CHOGM in Sri Lanka.

TNA was represented by five senior members including TNA leader MR Sampanthan and M. A. Sumanthiran.

Among the British MPs present were Siobhain McDonagh, Robert Halfon, Lee Scott, Kerry McCarthy, Douglas Alexander, Simon Huges and Keith Vaz.

Lanka should investigate allegations of rights abuses: US

WASHINGTON, MAR 1:

Concerned over the alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka, the US has accused the country for not initiating credible and independent investigations into the matter so far.

“To date, the Government of Sri Lanka has not initiated a full, credible, or independent investigation into longstanding allegations of human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, including sexual assault,” Patrick Ventrell, the State Department spokesman told reporters.

“I understand we just got it a day or so ago. But we do note our strong concern about human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law in Sri Lanka,” he said.

The US, he said, is reviewing the lengthy and extensive report of the UN Human Rights on Lanka.