Facebook icon
Twitter icon
e-mail icon

UK Tamil youth “disappointed” at UNHRC resolution

Tamil students from several universities in the UK have expressed their disappointment at the exclusion of a Commission of Inquiry in the resolution on Sri Lanka, passed at the Human Rights Council in Geneva last week.

Tamil Societies from 21 universities signed a statement, alongside Tamil Youth Organisation - UK, to call for an international, independent investigation into allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity and to recognise that what the Tamils face in their homeland is genocide.

“We express serious disappointment at the exclusion of an independent, international commission of inquiry into all allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide, and stress the crucial need for such a mechanism in order to secure true accountability and justice,” the statement said.

“Whilst we recognise the initiative to bring Sri Lanka into the spotlight of international fora after the dismal failure of the international community to act and protect civilian lives during the armed conflict, we strongly condemn a number of states in the international community who have actively been diluting what was already a substantially weak resolution […].

“We call on the international community to recognise that these acts are not singular or the actions of one particular Sri Lankan government, but are part of a historic, systematic and ongoing genocide to subjugate and break the Tamil nation.

“We call on the international community to recognise that Tamils on the island constitute a nation, with a distinct culture, heritage and homeland and that the Tamil nation, as with any other, has the right to self determination.

“We call for the United Nations and the international community to demand a concrete political solution to the Tamil national question, taking into account the Tamil nation’s grievances, demands and right to self-determination.

“We welcome the student protests in Tamil Nadu, and stand in solidarity with them, calling on the international community to ensure the safety and rights of the protesters in Tamil Nadu are respected, and call upon the Government of India to take heed of the protestors’ demands to push for a truly independent international investigation.”

See full statement here.

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.