American Tamils urge India to intervene in Sri Lanka
[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 January 2009, 02:37 GMT]
More than three hundred American Tamils demonstrated in front of the Indian Embassy in Washington D.C. Friday between 12:00 noon and 2:30 p.m. to express solidarity with Eelam Tamils, and called upon India to intervene in Sri Lanka on humanitarian grounds to initiate peace talks, halt military assistance to Sri Lanka, and to recognize the Tamils right to self-determination. The demonstrators later assembled near the U.S. State Department to show their support to the new Obama Administration, organizers of the event said.
 Demonstrators wearing Gandhi attire
 Dr Elias Jeyarajah handing over memorandum to Counselor Rahul Rasgotra
Demonstrators appealed to India to take urgent action to ensure the safety of the more than 300,000 displaced people who are being subjected to continual shelling and aerial bombardment in Vanni by the Sri Lanka military and Air Force. Dr Elias Jeyarajah on behalf of the organizers of the rally submitted a memorandum to Indian Counselor Mr Rahul Rasgotra. The memorandum recommended India to work for a just political solution, and pointed out that such a solution can be found only if the right to self-determination of the Tamils, a fundamental principle in international law, is recognized. The rally, according to the organizers, reinforced a December report by Genocide Prevention Project, an New York based rights organization that listed Sri Lanka as one of eight countries along with Sudan and Congo where there is a presence or likelihood of genocide breaking out. The report pointed out that Sri Lanka figured in all five "expert" indexes that track genocide. The rally was organized by Tamils Against Genocide and joined by members of Americans for Peace in Sri Lanka  Protesters at the rally
 Slogan displayed below Gandhi statue
 Obama message at the rally
 Demonstrators in front of Indian Embassy
 Demonstrators in front of Indian Embassy
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