Marking the 14th anniversary of the Mullivaikkal genocide, the UK's Shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has urged the British government to act upon the recommendations of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and refer Sri Lankan war criminals to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"We urge the British government to stand shoulder to shoulder with Tamils and consider the recommendations of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to refer perpetrators of these crimes to the International Criminal Court" Lammy stated.
He further added that Mullivaikkal "serves as a reminder that the quest for accountability and reconciliation for the victims of this crime must be brought forward. Together with communities in the UK and across the world, we can help build peace and political stability for Tamil communities in Sri Lanka".
Lammy's statement comes on the 14th anniversary of the genocide at Mullivaikkal, during which an estimated 169,796 Tamil were slaughtered during a brutal military campaign. The Sri Lankan army engaged in the indiscriminate shelling of hospitals, food lines and government-designated "no-fire" zones.
In 2019, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that Sri Lanka has made "virtually no progress" on the investigation of war crimes.
Leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, marked the day by stating:
"As Tamil communities across our country pause and reflect upon this solemn day, the Labour Party reaffirms our commitment to secure justice for those Tamil victims who lost their lives, as well as the survivors and their families by urging the government to consider the recommendation of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for an international justice mechanism".
Chair of Tamils for Labour, Sen Kandiah, has also marked the memorial by stating:
"I wish to express my gratitude to the Leader of the Labour Party, Shadow Foreign and Commonwealth and Development Secretary and Shadow Minister for South Asia for their continued commitment to refer the Sri Lankan situation to the International Criminal Court and get justice for Tamil victims".
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