Welcoming the UN Human Rights Council's mandating of an investigation into Sri Lanka, the British Tamil Forum (BTF) said that this was "just the start", stressing however, that it had "serious concerns" about the lack of a Tamil narrative within the text of the resolution.
Speaking to the Tamil Guardian shortly after the Council adopted the resolution, Mr. S.A.N. Rajkumar of the BTF's Geneva desk, said,
Stating that the BTF would continue working closely with international players in order to bring to the fore the ethnic dimension into any international action on Sri Lanka, Mr. Rajkumar stressed the significance of the adoption of the resolution, and said,
"Now that the resolution at the UN Human Rights Council, we have to focus on collecting witnesses and evidence," he said.
"We started talking about this from CHOGM, when our Prime Minister came back, as we are aware of the limitations of the UNHRC. It is important that all international remedies are exhausted," he said.
Speaking to the Tamil Guardian shortly after the Council adopted the resolution, Mr. S.A.N. Rajkumar of the BTF's Geneva desk, said,
"We welcome the investigative part of it, but we also have concerns because the whole Tamil narrative is lost, especially in trying to confine the problem into a religious minorities issues."The British Tamils Forum, is along with a number of other Tamil diaspora actors, including the CTC and USTPAC, has played a prominent role in Geneva over recent years, in lobbying for international action in Sri Lanka.
Stating that the BTF would continue working closely with international players in order to bring to the fore the ethnic dimension into any international action on Sri Lanka, Mr. Rajkumar stressed the significance of the adoption of the resolution, and said,
"This is the second time in the post-colonial history of Sri Lanka that the Sri Lankan sovereignty is challenged."Emphasising that the key now was to look forward, Mr. Rajkumar told the Tamil Guardian, "this is just a start".
"Now that the resolution at the UN Human Rights Council, we have to focus on collecting witnesses and evidence," he said.
"We cannot wait till the oral report comes in September and the next report comes in March."Commenting on Sri Lanka's rejection of the resolution, and likely poor cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner, Mr. Rajkumar said the BTF had been, and will continue, to work with British officials to ensure pressure is put on Sri Lanka.
"It's the future [that's important], it's going to be a difficult challenge, and it's going to be a long, hard journey for us. There are going to be a lot of obstacles. A lot of countries are going to come back with a lot of issues about mandates, and remits and so on."
"We started talking about this from CHOGM, when our Prime Minister came back, as we are aware of the limitations of the UNHRC. It is important that all international remedies are exhausted," he said.
"UK has key leverage, because Sri Lanka relies on the UK for various factors, including colonial past, finance, donor status, international trade, cricket, etc. We should look at bringing about sanctions, travel bans, and consider embargoes."Find full coverage of the UNHRC vote and reactions to the resolution mandating the OHCHR to undertake an inquiry here.
"We should also think if, under universal jurisdiction, any cases can be taken forward. We live in a country that cherishes freedom in terms of legal rights, so we should be able to file cases against those accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and people who perpetrated, and continue to perpetrate genocide."