Hundreds of Tamil protesters gathered at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Wednesday to demand justice.
If the international court prosecutors can request judges to issue arrest warrants on charges of crimes against humanity against Libyan leaders, then why not against the leaders in Sri Lanka too? This is the call from the international Tamil community.
Two years ago today, the Sri Lankan government declared the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), bringing an end to a civil war between the Sinhalese and the Tamil communities that lasted more than three decades. But, while the conflict is officially over, the scars run deep.
One-sided prosecution
What frustrates the Tamil protesters is a perceived one-sided approach to justice. For example, Dutch prosecutors are conducting an investigation into alleged illegal activities of the Tamil Tigers in Benelux and overseas. The trial is due to start in September.
But so far no charges seem to be planned for the Sri Lankan government or army, despite the fact that the international community is already preparing to prosecute Libyan leaders. So the Tamils feel that they are being treated as second class citizens.
Ruban Thirunacukkarasu, president of the Dutch Tamil Forum, says more people must held accountable.
"We want to have justice, we agree that the LTTE is paying for their crimes now. But the Sri Lankan government should be held responsible as well for their war crimes."
"It’s even worse than you think," says Sangar Jopalapillai from the German Council of Eelam Tamils. "There is still a genocide going on. Every day people go missing in the North East of Sri Lanka. The only people in power there now are the Sri Lankan army. Tamils are being killed every day."
United Nations
But the ICC can’t actually do much for the Tamils at this point because it has no jurisdiction in the area – Sri Lanka is not one of the 114 countries that have signed up to the court.
The only hope for the protesters would be a direct referral from the UN Security Council – as was the case with Libya.
Danish Tamils
It's not just Dutch Tamils who protested today. Showing their commitment to the cause, two Tamils from Denmark cycled over a thousand kilometers to The Hague to join the demonstration. Chairman of the Tamil Danish Association Maheswaran Ponnampalam:
"It took them 18 days to get here by bike, but they made it. We have sent multiple letters to the prosecutor of the ICC asking for action. We never got a response. That’s why we are here."
The ICC refused to comment on the protesting Tamils on its doorstep. When asked for a response, a spokesman refused to even acknowledge they were there.
Report
The UN published a report in March, stating that it found 'credible allegations, which if proven, indicate that a wide range of serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law was committed both by the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, some of which would amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.'
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LEADERS VOICE
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Child Without Head
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WAR is not a clear 'Black and White ' it is very complicated and horrific .Sri Lanka was fighting for its very survival against the most ruthless terrorist organisation in the world . An organisation that had murdered and assassinated not only Innocent Civilians but also Presidents and the Prime Minister of India . In such a war how was the Sri Lanka Army to differentiate between Enemy and Friend , especially when the Tamil Tigers were using people as human-shields.And in a war zone , ask any General , it is ridiculous to tell your soldiers shoot North-East and South-West but not North-West . Soldiers in a War-Zone will shoot in the direction of Enemy-Fire , full-stop . In a War 'It-is-a-Fact' thatinnocent people will be killed , just look at how the US and its Allies ended the second world war, they Killed more than one hundred million Innocent Japanese Civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.Does the ICC and AI consider this as 'War Crimes'?
o
There is no doubt in my mind that European Courts are one of the best in the world for independence judiciary and the Dutch court will deliver the verdict based on the facts that were presented to them.
Lawyers must provide full details of the Tamils' struggle for equality, justice, rule of law, R2P and human rights since independence from the British. Prior to colonial rulers Tamils had their own kingdom. As the Tamil leaders during the independence period were too cozy with the Sinhala leaders and living among Sinhala in Colombo, they opted for a united country and failed to request the British for the Tamil homeland. Thus, the Tamil leaders have betrayed the Tamils by trusting DS Senanayake and others who promised that the Tamils will be treated equally. It is very clear that Mohd Jinna of Pakistan, a great leader has achieved by requesting for a separate Pakistan from the British. Former Tamil leaders' incoorect decision, trusting the Sinhala who had racist inner motive of Sinhala nationalism, paved the way for Tamils' bloodshed and sufferings at the hands of the Sinhala Apartheid Buddhist hooligans and regime.
The politics in India will change. Like Jeyalalithaa, one day India will have a strong and vibrant Hindu nationalist leader in power, then it will become time for the Sinhala to receive the pain and the sufferings; The Sinhala must not forget that Rajiv Gandhi has ordered the Indian Air Force planes fly over Tamils areas in support of the Tamils struggle that made Sinhala hooligans and their racist forces like chickens. No solution to the ethnic crisis or Sinhala Buddhist Apartheid mindset means more bloodshed and sufferings to the orinary people - Tamils and the Sinhala. What you do, will come back to you - Lord Buddha
Take me to court becourse i sent some money to srilanka to my people. I am a crimenal????????
Well said.
All Thamizhs who love and cherish self-respect and human dignity and freedom from Singhalese chauvinism and racism are now declared "terrorists" while
Americans are described to have fought for freedom from the British and
Indians from the British ...
Tiger’s leader didn’t die naturally. Srilankan media’s says that he surrendered to SLA and then he was found death. 1 million Tamils left Srilanka and Smaller amount of them called themselves as the Diaspora Tamils. These so-called Diaspora Tamils who have homes, lands, assets and etc in Diaspora can’t have any rights for Tamil home land in Srilanka.
Tiger’s leader didn’t die naturally. Srilankan media’s says that he surrendered to SLA and then he was found death. 1 million Tamils left Srilanka and Smaller amount of them called themselves as the Diaspora Tamils. These so-called Diaspora Tamils who have homes, lands, assets and etc in Diaspora can’t have any rights for Tamil home land in Srilanka.
Tiger’s leader didn’t die naturally. Srilankan media’s says that he surrendered to SLA and then he was found death. 1 million Tamils left Srilanka and Smaller amount of them called themselves as the Diaspora Tamils. These so-called Diaspora Tamils who have homes, lands, assets and etc in Diaspora can’t have any rights for Tamil home land in Srilanka.
Why the sri lankan govrnment is so fear about the international independent Investigation. If they did not kill 40,000 people then they can face the trial and clear them self . i am so worried the Budist leader are loving the war in sri lanka
Tiger’s leader didn’t die naturally. Srilankan media’s says that he surrendered to SLA and then he was found death. 1 million Tamils left Srilanka and Smaller amount of them called themselves as the Diaspora Tamils. These so-called Diaspora Tamils who have homes, lands, assets and etc in Diaspora can’t have any rights for Tamil home land in Srilanka.
Srilankan Budist mongs also appreciate the government for war, and one head said that there were no war crime commited from sri lanka army side.
These demonstrators are the Diaspora’s Tamil tigers. Since the leader of Tamil tigers and the worst war criminal of Srilanka was killed on 18th May, 2009 they declared this date as a war crimes day. First they have to accept that the Tamil tigers committed more war crimes than any others in Srilanka.
Even He died we are here to get our home land back from singala terror government
Tiger’s leader didn’t die naturally. Srilankan media’s says that he surrendered to SLA and then he was found death. 1 million Tamils left Srilanka and Smaller amount of them called themselves as the Diaspora Tamils. These so-called Diaspora Tamils who have homes, lands, assets and etc in Diaspora can’t have any rights for Tamil home land in Srilanka.
Quest for Justice have no borders. The UN system failed to protect the Tamils, allowing a Genocide to take place behind closed curtains. The ICC prosecutors, the UNSG, UN's Human Rights Council all have the obligation to find creative ways to bring accountability in Sri Lanka and move to protect the vulnerable Tamil population. Failing which, the global Tamil Diaspora will resist assimilation in their adopted countries and remain irritants to Western interests and hypocrisies.
" the global Tamil Diaspora will resist assimilation in their adopted countries and remain irritants to Western interests and hypocrisies."
The only thing that accomplishes is to turn the citizens of your adopted countries against you, not trust you and not accept you. The Tamil Tigers are listed as a terrorist group and NOWHERE in North America will you find much support for a group who used child soldiers, invented the suicide belt and used their fellow citizens as human shields. It is because of the way the Tamils conduct themselves, disobey the laws, and show no respect for their adopted countries that they are NOT well recieved. Why come to North America if you don't want to adapt to the lifestyle and contribute? Why not stay in Sri lanka and fight for what you want there? I know in Canada the public has had it with the constant demands, constant protests, disrespect and ungratefulness of the Tamil diaspora who only want to take and not give back to our country sfter we took them in, fed, housed and educated them on the tax payers dime.
"So the Tamils feel that they are being treated as second class citizens", u dont hv to feel it brothers,coz thats wut u are,lol..
Sri Lankan Genocidal leaders are much more worse than Libyan leader Gadaffi or his associates. Gadaffi didn't tell the people to go to 'no fire zone' and bomb them indiscriminatly nor shell hospitals, churches, or schools. When the war started , family run Sri Lankan goverment had only one thing in their agenda. Kill as many as Tamils under the pretext of fighting terrorism. In order to carry it out , keep the UN out of Tamil's Lands, Deny access to NGOs, Kill or threaten medias and journalists, Expell or Deport foreign Diplomats. After then unimaginable modern era GENOCIDE well executed. This terrorist government should be brought to JUSTICE and HAGUE is the only place Tamils have FAITH on.
Thanks Sri and Radio Netherlands,
In Libya, the media reporters were trying to save one woman (Obeida) allegedly sexually assaulted by Libyan soldiers.
Where was the media when the carnage in Sri Lanka took place???
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