Update 23:46 CET Thousands of Tamils from across Europe have been demonstrating in front of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, calling on the international community to launch an independent, international investigation into mass atrocities in Sri Lanka. By 17:30, as more and more demonstrators arrived and the numbers of Tamils swelled, Swiss police officers arrived attempting to confine the demonstration.
Addressing diplomatic missions at an informal public session on the draft resolution tabled on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council, Northern Provincial Councillor, MK Shivajilingam, called for an " independent international investigative mechanism in the form of Commission of Inquiry in the resolution this time , to investigate all the violations and crimes committed against the Tamil people prior to, during, and after the war". " Only a Commission of Inquiry can ensure the necessary mandate, resources and direction needed for this ," he told the diplomatic missions who had gathered to debate and discuss the draft resolution's text.
Sri Lankan police officers, including traffic patrolmen, are to be armed with a pistol or revolver, said the police spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana, reports the Colombo Page . Speaking today, the spokesperson said that Sri Lanka's Police Department made this decision due to alleged rising violence they faced in duty, and that the officers had been instructed to only use the firearm in 'highly necessary occasions for their self-defence'.
British Tamils met with parliamentarians from various political parties across the country this week, as they gathered support for accountability in Sri Lanka, calling on British Prime Minister David Cameron to live up to his pledge of ensuring a credible international investigation. Members of the British Tamils Forum met with Paul Blomfield Labour MP for Sheffield, who personally committed to ensuring the matter is brought to the attention of the Prime Minister stating, “I’m shocked that the Prime Minister having given a very clear commitment to use all of Britain’s diplomatic efforts to ensure that there is a independent internationally led investigation, has not seen that through, so I’ll be taking that issue up directly with the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary.” Another British Tamil constituent who wrote to Home Secretary Theresa May told the Tamil Guardian that he received a reply from the Home Secretary stating, “The Foreign Secretary has now confirmed that the UK is pursuing this issue actively at the UN Human Rights Council in order to secure an international inquiry of the type recommended by the UN High Commissioner.”
Photographs: Sesatha A group of Sri Lankans protested against the UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka outside British Prime Minister David Cameron's office in London this weekend, telling the UK and the international community to ‘keep your hands off a peaceful Sri Lanka’. The protest, organised by “Sri Lankan Living in UK”, saw protestors wave placards which read “Is defeating terrorism a war crime?” , ”USA & Britain are hypocrites” and “Our vote bag is bigger than LTTE” .
An Indian student who has been on hunger strike in Tamil Nadu was hospitalised on Monday, as protests calling for an independent international investigation into genocide in Sri Lanka and a referendum on the island continued.
The annual celebration of Commonwealth Day saw protests by British Tamils, who called on the body to suspend Sri Lanka and not let President Mahinda Rajapaksa take chairmanship of the Commonwealth. The protest, organised by the British Tamils Forum, took place outside Marlborough House, where a reception for representatives of member governments was held. Sri Lanka was represented by External Affairs Minister GL Peiris.
The Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper criticised Sri Lanka in his statement to mark Commonwealth Day. Sri Lanka, the only country he highlighted, has “ failed to uphold the Commonwealth’s core values ” despite being the current chair of the Commonwealth, the Prime Minister said.
Minister for Construction Wimal Weerawansa has accused the US embassy in Colombo of promoting the use of social media such as Twitter and Facebook to overthrow Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government. Speaking at a rally in the south of the island, Weerawansa said that the US is holding social media awareness programmes in order to change things in Sri Lanka, adding that this was the method used in the Arab Spring.
A Sri Lankan school has banned the wearing of the hijab, the Islamic headscarf. The Colombo Gazette reported that the principal forced two girl to remove their hijabs if they wanted to attend classes. Anti-Muslim sentiment is seen to be growing larger. Earlier this month a mosque was ordered closed by a court in Colombo, after complaints and protests by Buddhist monks.