Two prominent human rights activists in Sri Lanka, who have survived death threats and assassination attempts, called on leaders including David Cameron and the Prince of Wales to boycott a key Commonwealth summit next month.
The executive director of Transparency International, whose family in Sri Lanka was forced into hiding in 2008, called the decision to hold the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo as “shameless.”
Comparing the Sri Lankan rule to Zimbabwe he said,
“What’s the difference? The rule of law is collapsing in Sri Lanka.”
A widely acclaimed, Sri Lankan activist Ruki Fernando, further stated,
“The leaders who are coming, including David Cameron, are insulting the victims of violence and abuse and they are also insulting the vales of the Commonwealth itself. There should be a total boycott.”
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
