British Govt issues new travel advice: warns on anti-Western rhetoric
The British Government has issued a new travel advice to British nationals visiting Sri Lanka. It advices British on increased anti-Western (particularly anti-British) rhetoric in Sri Lanka due to the upsurge of Sinhala extremism. The travel advice said: “The end of the military conflict has seen an upsurge of nationalism in Sri Lanka.
‘We Will Become A Power Centre’ – LTTE’s legal adviser Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is trying to regroup following its military defeat by the Sri Lankan army in May 2009. Though routed militarily, the LTTE claims its international network remains intact. Selvarasa Pathmanathan, a former arms procurer for the LTTE chief, operating from an undisclosed location, has vowed to take forward the struggle for Eelam through democratic methods. By roping in various legal experts, the LTTE has formed a team under US-based Tamil legal adviser Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran to work on the formation of a provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE).
American and Canadian Tamils to hold rally in NY to protest Chinese assistance to Colombo
American and Canadian Tamils will assemble on Monday from 11 am to 4 pm outside the UN Mission of The Peoples Republic of China at 350 East 35th Street in New York to protest Chinese help to Sri Lankan government for ethnic cleansing and genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Remembering Black July – Tamils hold vigil at Centrepointe to commemorate 1983 riots
A single candle was lit amid a bed of roses on July 23 in the Chamber room at Centrepointe Theatre to commemorate Black July 1983. “The black colour marks our pain, sorrow and fear,” said Ruban Santhiralingam, the master of ceremonies.
Black July refers to the massacre of 3,000 Tamil people and the destruction of 250,000 businesses and homes owned by Tamils that took place in Columbo, Sri Lanka between July 23 and July 26, 1983.
Tamils gather to remember
Hundreds of Tamil Canadians descended on Queen’s Park yesterday to call on the Canadian government to do more to help the estimated 300,000 displaced Tamils living in internment camps in Sri Lanka and to thank Canada for granting them refuge here.
About 1,000 observed a moment of silence in memory of the Tamil victims of Black July, considered by many to be the start of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamils in 1983.
Black July Remembrance – London
1983 – over 3000 Tamils are murdered and 150,000 made homeless in Sri Lankan State sponsored anti-Tamil riots…26 years on, the Genocide continues…
Black July Remembrance – London Sunday, 26 July 2009 1pm @ Trafalgar Square
Nearest Stations: Charing Cross and Embankment
Read more
Tim Martin Ends Hungerstrike After 21 Days
Tim Martin ends his hunger strike after 21 day battle, he gave a speech thanking the Tamil community for supporting him. Tim was appraised by many protesters and was thanked for all his efforts, as a non-Tamil he stood up for the innocent people. As Tim was a former aid worker in the Vanni area he has witnessed the troubles that the Tamils experienced.
Sri Lanka team targeted by protests over government’s Tamil policies
Not for the first time, Lord’s has become the scene of a political protest. Sri Lankan protesters have been picketing the ground, calling for the country’s cricket team to return home and for other nations to boycott matches against the side.
About 50 London-based Sri Lankans gathered outside the Wellington Road entrance, armed with placards condemning the Sri Lankan government’s “human rights abuses”. One read, “Sri Lanka’s latest score: 20,000 dead, 300,000 displaced”.
MIA’s endorsement expected to boost Jananayagam’s MEP prospects
Oscar and Grammy award nominee, Eezham born music phenom, Maya Arulpragasam (MIA), offered a free song, and has initiated an online campaign appealing to British voters to elect Ms Janani (Jan) Jananayagam, a Jaffna born young banking professional, as a Member of European Parliament (MEP) in the June 4th elections. “Vote to Jan could save 300,000 [Tamil] people [in Sri Lanka],” MIA’s entry in Myspace, and a linked twitter message said. Ms. Jananayagam is contesting the London electoral region as an independent candidate, and MIA’s support is expected to convince young British fans to exercise their votes, a campaign organizer said.
Hunger strike of British Aid worker enters 16th day
Tim Martin, director of Act Now, a rights group formed by former British aid workers in Sri Lanka, is on a hunger striek in Parliament Square, London, calling for intervention by U.S. and other Governments to protect the massacre-survivors from the Safety Zone in Mulliaththeevu, currently being interned in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) supervised camps in Vavuniyaa. Martin handed a letter to Mr Kerry McCarthy MP, and Mrs Kerry when they visited him, and asked the MP to hand over the letter to U.S. President Obama, well wishers at the Parliament square said.
