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 Germany promotes trade with genocidal Sri Lanka[TamilNet, Sunday, 11 November 2018, 12:25 GMT]The Federal Republic of Germany, which is the 4th largest economy in the world and the biggest economy within the European Union, has been accelerating trade moves to create business opportunities for ‘Sri Lankan’ and German companies between March and October 2018. Germany is also home to a large number of genocide-affected Eezham Tamils. Tamil grassroots activists in Jaffna have urged increased awareness among the Tamil diaspora at the wake of a call to conceive a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against genocidal Sri Lanka as the SL President Maithiripala Sirisena installed Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister. In the meantime, a report by the leading German media house Deutsche Welle said: “German companies have so far invested around one billion dollars in Sri Lanka. Compared to China’s investment since 2005, that figure is modest.” Eezham Tamils, mainly the Tamil diaspora must now conceive a BDS campaign against genocidal Sri Lanka, Professor Francis Boyle, an eminent American expert in international law at the University of Illinois College of Law, told TamilNet after SL President Maithiriapala Sirisena installed Mahinda Rajapaksa as the SL Prime Minister in the island. Such a BSD campaign should be launched from Germany in Europe, the activists in Jaffna opined. As far back as 2011, a successful Sinhala businessman, based in Germany for the past four decades said his company had started to evaluate projects in the island with the “vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa”. The Sinhala businessman, a managing director of four hospitality related companies based in Frankfurt, was appointed as Consul for Sri Lankan in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The move for the appointment was seconded by the government of Germany “for the first time in history,” reported The Island paper on 07 April 2011. “He has taken on the challenge to promote Sri Lanka as a tourist destination within the German market,” the paper further claimed at that time. In March 2018, Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy floated a chamber of commerce, known as the Delegation of Germany Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka), in Colombo. A “3-day 3-city” promotion was arranged in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Berlin in September. SL Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama, SL Board Of Investment Director General Duminda Ariyasinghe and EDB Chairperson Indira Malwatte took part in the promotion towards German and European investors. The delegation also attended high-level meetings with “top German and European brands like Braun, Hellmann Logistics, TÜV Rheinland, Siemens, Fresenius, TUI Group, SAP, Heidelberg Cement, Melchers Group, Linde Group, DER Touristik, Allianz and the German Tea Council,” says a news report by The Island paper in Colombo. Also in September, a relaunch of “Top German Brands in Sri Lanka” was staged in Colombo representing more than 100 German brands. 
The flawed approach is a result of Obama administration applying soft power in order to make strategic inroads into the island. The Tamil diaspora has to counter the paradigm and urge the European countries to choose a principled approach instead of abetting the SL State, which is waging a protracted structural genocide against Tamils in the island. What has happened in the island in October and November only proves the utter failure of this flawed approach. At this juncture, it is strange that countries that advocate human rights enter into trade promotion just because they want to deter China, which has no concern at all for human rights, Tamil political activists in Jaffna said. Germany is long known for providing development assistance to war-affected communities in the island through the German Development Cooperation (GTZ), which has been appreciated by the Tamil people in the North-East. However, Germany has chosen to ignore the protracted structural genocide, which is being accelerated in the occupied North-East in the name of ‘development’, especially after the genocidal onslaught in 2009, the activists said. The only transformation that has taken place on the ground, as far as Eezham Tamils are concerned, is the transition from the genocidal war to more severe structural and heritage genocide, which aims at ultimate annihilation of the existence of Eezham Tamils as a nation in the island, they said. Related Articles: 10.11.18 Obama,Clinton, Power accountable for protracted genocide hau.. 28.10.18 Professor Boyle calls for BSD Campaign against genocidal Sri.. 12.02.18 13 years elapsed, GTZ-initiated housing scheme yet to obtain.. 23.04.11 Germany supports Colombo’s colonial archaeology in Tamil cou.. 18.05.06 GTZ training will benefit 400 NE Administrators 18.04.06 Germany supports modern fish marketing in the North 31.03.06 Germany assists Jaffna, Kilinochchi Farmers' Organizations 11.11.05 GTZ supplies boats, engines to Muttur east fisher families 08.07.05 GTZ funds Elephant Pass Girl's Hostel 02.07.05 Trinco fisheries get German assistance 02.07.05 GTZ funds resettlement of ex-garrison town 15.06.05 GTZ provides fishing boats to Trinco fishermen 25.04.05 GTZ assists psychosocial counselling in NE schools 23.03.05 German support helps restore rhythm of regular life amongst .. 17.03.05 Thamilchelvan discusses post-tsunami reconstruction with Ger.. 03.03.05 GTZ releases booklet on School Nutrition 17.02.05 UNICEF, GTZ assist to restore education in tsunami hit Trinc.. External Links: Chronology:
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