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UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy met with Tamil political leaders in Colombo this week, as representatives of the Tamil nation urged renewed international action on accountability, justice and political rights.
The meeting brought together Tamil parliamentarians including Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, S. Shritharan, Selvam Adaikkalanathan, and Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, as well as lawyer M. A. Sumanthiran. It formed part of Lammy’s official visit to the island, which has included engagements with government officials and civil society.
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The UK High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick, confirmed the meeting in a post on X, stating:
“Joined Deputy Prime Minister @DavidLammy for a meeting with Tamil political leaders. The UK continues to stand firm in support reconciliation, transnational justice, and listening to their priorities on justice and equality.”
Tamil representatives used the meeting to set out long-standing grievances of the Tamil people and to raise concerns over what they described as the failure of the current National People’s Power administration to deliver on key pledges made to the Tamil people.
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Speaking to the Tamil Guardian following the discussions, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam said:
“The NPP came on an anti-establishment wave that called into question the politics of the previous governments of 76 years. That questioning of the past included the position previous governments had taken on the Tamil National Question. This made the NPP to boldly state that all previous govts had been racist towards the Tamils and that the NPP government will not be the same.
They promised to resolve the ethnic question with a new constitution that would address Tamil concerns. They promised to repeal the PTA and never replace it. They promised to release all private land occupied by the armed forces. They also promised to release all Tamil political prisoners and stop Sinhaslisation projects in the North-East.
On every one of these key issues faced by the Tamil people the NPP has defaulted. And when we as Tamil representatives point these failures out, we are labelled Tamil racists by the government.
If we are to give the benefit of the doubt to the government and assume that the government has failed because they fear a backlash from the extreme elements amongst the Sinhalese, the only way to deal with it would be to silence those extreme elements. Those elements happen to be also the very same sections that stand accused for [International Humanitarian Law] and human rights violations. So, we urged the UK to redouble its efforts to ensure international accountability.
Going after them will also eliminate any excuses the government can give for not pursuing a political solution to the Tamil National question as well.”
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The meeting comes amid continued concerns from Tamil civil society over ongoing militarisation in the North-East, delays in the release of private lands held by the security forces, the continued lack of accountability for mass atrocities and the government’s proposed new security legislation.
Tamil political leaders have repeatedly called for sustained international engagement and accountability mechanisms, arguing that domestic processes have consistently failed to deliver justice.
Ahead of Lammy's one day visit to the island, British MP Uma Kumaran said she had raised the issue directly with UK officials, stressing that justice for Tamil victims must be central to any engagement with Colombo.
“I have once again raised the need for the UK to press the Sri Lankan Government on human rights violations in Sri Lanka – including historic atrocities committed against the Tamil people,” she told the Tamil Guardian. “Those responsible for human rights abuses must face justice. Meaningful reconciliation requires truth, accountability and human rights guarantees. I hope this discussion takes place, alongside important conversations on the support the UK Government has given to Sri Lankan people following the devastation of cyclone Ditwah.”
