David Miliband renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka

Foreign Secretary David Miliband renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka on Saturday 18 April. He said, Britain is gravely concerned about the many thousands of lives and maintains its calls for an immediate ceasefire. And the Prime Minister’s Special Representative, Des Browne MP,  is travelling to New York to consult urgently with the UN. 

His statement said:

‘I remain gravely concerned at the continuing conflict in northern Sri Lanka that threatens many thousands of civilian lives. The British Government maintains its calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka and for civilians to be allowed to leave the conflict area. We have been joined by many other Governments, including France and the United States, in making similar calls.

The United Nations is engaged. The UN are making progress with the Government of Sri Lanka towards an agreement to get support to civilians in the conflict zone and on efforts to get agreement from the LTTE to allow civilians to leave.‬  We will ask the UN Secretary-General’s Representative, Mr Nambiar, to report immediately to the UN Security Council, after his visit.  And the Prime Minister’s Special Representative, Des Browne MP,  is travelling to New York to consult urgently with the UN. 

Protests and demonstrations around the world have highlighted the tragic loss of life of innocent civilians in Sri Lanka. Further loss of life will only compound that tragedy. The Tamil community are a community we value and they make an important contribution to British society. They have seen friends and relatives perish, and their loved ones are still at grave risk from the fighting. We have heard their voice and will keep listening. We are committed to do all we can to bring this terrible conflict to an end.’

“rhetoric statement by world to appease the protesting Tamils nothing more than that”,commented Tamil National Columnist. “there are lot of diplomatic actionsleft for them to pressure Sri Lanka than making renewed calls, the world is not prepared to put even minimum pressure on Sri Lanka against its atrocities,” he lamented.

Meanwhile Tamil hunger striker Parameswaran Subramaniyam is ‘prepared to die’ in London.

Parameswaran Subramaniyam, 28, enters the thirteenth day of a hunger strike in a makeshift tent outside the Houses of Parliament, he said he was prepared to starve to death to highlight the plight of the Tamils. Hundreds of people around him are peacefully protesting for days now, a painful feeling read in their faces.

Volunteer Tamil doctors are monitoring Subramaniyam around the clock. He is surviving on sips of water and his condition could soon become critical, doctors say. He can slip in to coma at any moment.

But he says death is a price he would pay to force the British government to intervene in the conflict. He is determined, he is willing to continue his hunger strike, ‘Until he die or when he get his demands.’

“More than me, my country, my people are suffering from the war so for me, it’s nothing,” he says.

The supporters around him are holding banners reading “Tamils Want Freedom, Tamils Want Justice” and “Ceasefire! Ceasefire!! Now.”

They want Britain, the former colonial power, to intervene to bring about an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

Tamil National Reporter spoke to those supporters rallying around Parameswaran, they said “we cannot leave him die, we want our Prime Minister Gordon Browne to give an answer soon.” When asked about the renewed calls by Miliband, they were not very positive that the calls will work, they said “some strong action needed.”