^{Photo Credit: Thaarakam.net}

On Friday, 29 October, protesters gathered in Strasbourg, France, against the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s visit to Scotland for the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). 

^{Photo Credit: Thaarakam.net}

Demonstrators gathered in front of the European Union Parliament Building, holding signs calling for “an international independent investigation into the Tamil Genocide.” 

^{Photo Credit: Thaarakam.net}

The protestors put forward a number of demands, some of which include;

(1) Gotabaya and Mahinda Rajapaksa must be arrested and tried before the International Criminal Court.

(2) All countries must be given a voice within the investigation of the Genocide against Tamils.

(3) Tamil Eelam must be seen as a viable solution to protect Tamils and their land in Sri Lanka. 

^{Photo Credit: Thaarakam.net}

Protestors also gathered in Belgium, condemning Rajapaksa’s visit to Scotland for the COP26 event. 

Rajapaksa is scheduled to speak on a panel titled “Rediscovering Nitrogen: Solutions and Synergies for Climate Change Health, Biodiversity and Circular Economy” at COP26. However, Tamil across the UK have begun gathering to protest his speech at COP26. 

Read more: Gotabaya in Glasgow ahead of mass protests

Scottish Tamils are in the midst of a widespread publicity campaign calling for the President to be held accountable for numerous war crimes he is responsible for during his tenure as defence secretary. Earlier this week, images of the Sri Lankan president were projected onto Scottish buildings, including the Scottish parliament, calling for justice for the Tamil genocide. 

Read more here: Digital campaign takes off in Scotland ahead of Rajapaksa visit

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