US Tamils call for stop to extra-judicial killings

[TamilNet, Monday, 29 May 2006, 02:48 GMT]
Pointing out that "Scandinavian Cease Fire Monitors have declared that members of GOSL forces and paramilitaries are involved in extra-judicial killings," a joint press release issued by Tamil organizations in the US Sunday warned, "If the CFA and the peace process are to be saved, extra -judicial killings and other violations of human rights of Tamils must end and those responsible be punished, and paramilitaries be disarmed," and called on the US Administration to "ensure that these are implemented immediately by the Government of Sri Lanka."

Full text of the press release follows:

Stop Sri Lankan Government (GOSL) Atrocities Against Tamils

In recent weeks, hundreds of Tamil civilians, including women and children, have been murdered with impunity, in GOSL controlled areas of predominantly Tamil speaking North East (NE), by Sri Lankan security forces and paramilitaries. In one case, nearly 20 Tamils, including infants, were murdered.

Senior Tamil political and civic leaders and journalists have been favored targets. Many Tamils have also been victims of GOSL aerial bombing and artillery attacks on civilian areas, and of security force supported mob violence aimed at ethnic cleansing of historical Tamil city of Trincomalee.

Scandinavian Cease Fire Monitors have declared that members of GOSL forces and paramilitaries are involved in extra-judicial killings.

Under the 2002 Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), and as affirmed at the Geneva meeting, GOSL should have disarmed paramilitaries. Activities of paramilitaries are currently the biggest threat to the peace process.

The killings are continuing and Tamil civilians in NE are being terrorized by design. Even international NGOs helping Tamils have recently become targets. Now, GOSL armed forces are forcibly preventing Tamil civilians fleeing for safety to areas in NE outside GOSL control, or to India. GOSL has also failed to provide relief to tens of thousands of newly displaced Tamils in NE

As usual, no one has been charged in the killings. This is hardly surprising since GOSL forces, including Police, are 99% from Sinhala majority, and President Rajapakse and his allies have taken a very hard line, ruling out power sharing or devolution arrangements for Tamils in NE.

Moreover, it was Mr. Rajapakse and his allies who killed in 2005 the US sponsored scheme for distribution humanitarian tsunami aid to Tamils in NE. NE had suffered over 60% of total tsunami damage, on top of the damage from years of civil war.

If the CFA and the peace process are to be saved, extra -judicial killings and other violations of human rights of Tamils must end and those responsible be punished, and paramilitaries be disarmed.

We call on the US Administration to ensure that these are implemented immediately by the Government of Sri Lanka.

Association of Tamil Americans
Federation of Tamil Association of North America (FeTNA)– USA
Illankai Tamil Sangam – California, USA
Illankai Tamil Sangam – Florida, USA
Illankai Tamil Sangam – USA
Ilankai Tamil Sangam – Houston, Texas, USA
Ohio Tamil Association – Ohio, USA
Tamil Refugees Rehabilitation Organization - California
Tamil Youth Organization - USA
Tamil Welfare and Human Rights Committee – District of Columbia, USA
World Tamil Organization - Illinois
World Tamil Women Organization – USA
World Tamil Coordinating Committee – USA