அரசியல்

கவிஞரும் நண்பருமான ஜெயபாலனின் கைது பற்றி இந்த மூன்று நாட்களாக பல செய்திகளும், கருத்துக்களும், விவாதங்களும் இடம்பெற்று வருகின்றன. தமிழ், ஆங்கில, சிங்கள, மற்றும் நோர்வேஜிய மொழிகளிலும் செய்திகளும், ஏனைய சமூக வலைத்தளங்களிலும் போதிய முக்கியத்துவம் கொடுக்கப்பட்டிருப்பது மகிழ்ச்சியளிக்கிறது.ஆனால் இதன் மூலம் சகலருக்குமான செய்தி என்ன என்பது குறித்து அதே அளவு முக்கியத்துவத்துடன் உரையாடப்படவில்லை என்பதே நாம் அனைவரும் கரிசனை கொள்ளவேண்டிய விடயம். நோர்வேஜிய நாளிதழான VG பத்திரிகைக்கு 23 இரவு முன்னாள் சமாதான தூதுவர் எரிக் சுல்ஹைம் அளித்த பேட்டியில்.

“...15 வருடங்களாக ஜெயபாலனை நான் அறிவேன். சமரசம், சம உரிமை குறித்தே அக்கறைப்படுபவர். சிக்கலுக்குரிய கருத்துக்களை கூறியிருக்க வாய்ப்பில்லை... செய்தியை அறிந்தவுடன் நேரடியாக இலங்கைக்கான நோர்வேஜிய தூதரகத்தை தொடர்புகொண்டு மேலதிக தகவல்களை அறிந்தேன்.... ...ஆனால் அரசோடு முரண்பட்டுக்கொள்பவர்களுக்கான ஒரு குறியீட்டு செய்தியே இது...”

- David Cameron meets Tamil refugees in the Sabapathy Pillai refugee camp in Jaffna, northern Sri Lanka. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA -

The refugees of Sabapathy Pillai believed David Cameron had been sent by God to help them get their land back. A swarm of Jaffna women stormed through a line of military police to plead for his help in finding their missing loved ones. Yet only a few hours later, the prime minister left a meeting with Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa no closer to securing an investigation into alleged war crimes, or an admission that many Tamils continue to be persecuted. The prime minister arrived at the Commonwealth summit in Colombo on Thursday night, promising to use his trip to highlight human rights abuses in the host country, following fierce criticism of his decision to attend. But as world leaders and royalty, including the Prince of Wales, gathered in the capital for their biennial meeting, Cameron first headed to meet victims of Sri Lanka's 25-year civil war and those suffering continuing violence. An extraordinary 12 hours followed, as the prime minister became the first world leader to travel to the Tamil-dominated north since independence in 1948, before returning to the capital for a planned showdown with Rajapaksa.

Members of the British Tamil community, including British Tamils Forum members, met the UK Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street today to challenge the UK government on its decision to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) that is due to take place in Sri Lanka later this month. The delegation were invited to meet the Prime Minister following sustained calls by many, both within and outside the Tamil community, that the UK Government should follow the Canadian government’s lead and boycott CHOGM 2013 if it takes place in Sri Lanka. The Tamils present at the meeting told the Prime Minister that the UK’s participation in the summit would send a message that the international community is prepared to turn a blind eye while the Sri Lankan state continues to commit the human rights abuses, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide against the Tamil people. They also called on the Prime Minister to ensure that – if the meeting does go ahead – the President of Sri Lanka, who is accused of committed serious war crimes, does not become chairperson-in-office of the Commonwealth for the next two years.

Demonstrators from both the British Tamil community and its supporters staged a mass rally to Downing Street today to call on the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, to boycott the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which is due to take place later this month in Sri Lanka. At its peak, almost 4,000 people took part in the rally, waving banners and placards describing the various human rights abuses, war crimes and acts of genocide the Sri Lankan state stands accused of committing against the Tamils. Demonstrators also displayed messages calling on David Cameron and Prince Charles to avoid lending legitimacy to a state that continues to smear “blood on its hands”.

At the end of the procession, six members of British Tamils Forum presented a petition on behalf of the crowd to 10 Downing Street, calling on the Prime Minister to boycott the summit in order to send the strongest possible message that the UK would not tolerate Sri Lanka’s historical and continuing violations of international law. The petition also called for the Commonwealth to suspend Sri Lanka and demanded that those responsible for perpetrating acts of genocide against the Tamil people must be held to account by the international community.

7 October 2013 - Bali, Indonesia -  Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement: “When Sri Lanka was selected to host the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Canada was hopeful that the Sri Lankan government would seize the opportunity to improve human rights conditions and take steps towards reconciliation and accountability. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. Canada is deeply concerned about the situation in Sri Lanka. The absence of accountability for the serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian standards during and after the civil war is unacceptable. Canada noted with concern the impeachment of the Sri Lankan Chief Justice earlier this year, and we remain disturbed by ongoing reports of intimidation and incarceration of political leaders and journalists, harassment of minorities, reported disappearances, and allegations of extra judicial killings. Canada believes that if the Commonwealth is to remain relevant it must stand in defence of the basic principles of freedom, democracy, and respect for human dignity, which are the very foundation upon which the Commonwealth was built. It is clear that the Sri Lankan government has failed to uphold the Commonwealth’s core values, which are cherished by Canadians. As such, as the Prime Minister of Canada, I will not attend the 2013 CHOGM in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This is a decision that I do not take lightly.