Candlelight vigil for Vanni victims held in Mauritius

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 May 2009, 11:41 GMT]
Amnesty International Mauritius Branch held a candlelight vigil adopting the theme “Let’s all light a candle for Vanni” in Rose Hill in Mauritius 30 April in which the Mayor of Rose Hill, many MPs of the Mauritius National Assembly, the leader of the opposition, representatives of the National Movement Against Tamil Genocide (MATG) and other NGOS participated. A petition was circulated, calling the Government of Mauritius to intervene and make official representations in international forums to stop the war, alleviate the suffering of the Tamil civilians caught in the war and lobby for proper humanitarian aid to reach the war-affected zones.



Representatives of the various political parties of the country were unanimous in their speeches, condemning the genocidal attitude of the Sri Lankan government and the incapacity of the United Nations, severely criticizing the silence and hypocritical attitudes of the world's major superpowers due to sinister geopolitical motives.

All the speakers were heavily critical of the attitude of the United Nations, which they said was condoning the war-behind-closed-doors led by the Rajapakse government against the innocent Tamil civilians, denying humanitarian aid, blatantly violating human rights in the process, when it is crystal clear to all that there is no military solution to the conflict and that the struggle for Eelam was fully justified, given the historical background of the conflict.

Projection of killed civilians and atrocities committed by Sri Lanka government was also carried out, to the outrage and sadness of all present.

Many artistes performed during the vigil with special messages, calling for peace and respect of human rights, the sources said.

Rose Hill is the third largest town in Mauritius and is the capital of the Lower Plaines Wilhelm.