As part of ongoing worldwide protests, three Australian Tamil youth are on FASTING UNTO ACTION!
UK – 5 days and going strong ;Canada – 4 days and getting stronger than ever..The hunger strike will start at 5pm, Saturday 11 April 2009, at Church Street Mall, Parramatta, NSW.
They have four demands which they want met through the actions of the Government of Australia, which has the power to use its diplomatic powers to exert pressure to ensure:
1. The Government of Sri Lanka enters an immediate ceasefire with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam;
2. The Government of Sri Lanka immediately allows food, medicine and aid into the conflict zone;
3. The Government of Sri Lanka allows vital services, including medical services into the conflict zone;
4. The Government of Sri Lanka and the international community allows the Tamil people, both in the conflict zone and those indefinitely detained in concentration camps in government-held areas, to decide independently where they wish to reside.
Turn up for your brothers and sisters who are being killed and wounded!!
Turn up for the mothers who have lost their children!!
Turn up for the children who have lost their parents!!
Turn up for the love of humanity!!
Turn up for the Australian spirit!!
Full Text of the Press Release here;
Australian Tamil Youth Embark on Hunger Strike to Protest Against Sri Lanka’s Genocide of Tamils
A hunger strike will begin at 5pm on 11 April 2009 in Sydney, urging the Australian government to use its diplomatic powers to pressure Sri Lanka into immediately entering a cease-fire.
The three young Tamil Australian protesters have four demands which they want met through the actions of the Government of Australia, which has the ability to use its diplomatic powers to push the Government of Sri Lanka:
1. to enter an immediate ceasefire with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam;
2. to immediately allow food, medicine and aid into the conflict zone;
3. to allow vital services, including medical services into the conflict zone;
4. and the international community to allow the Tamil people, both in the conflict zone and those indefinitely detained in concentration camps in government-held areas, to decide independently where they wish to reside.
In the first three months of this year alone, over 3500 Tamil civilians have been killed and over 12,000 Tamil causalities resulted due to the Government of Sri Lanka’s bombing of hospitals and civilian targets both inside and outside its self declared safe zone. There is evidence of the Sri Lankan Army’s use of cluster bombs, white phosphorous and chemical weapons in these attacks. They have also banned medicine, aid and food from entering the conflict zone, effectively using starvation as a weapon of war. These breach international law and are war crimes.
Yet the Sri Lankan conflict has not been discussed in the United Nations General Assembly or Security Council.
Two British Tamil youth began a hunger strike in front of the British Parliament, which has entered its fifth day today.
Internationally the Tamil Diaspora has taken to the streets to rally against Sri Lanka’s genocide of the Tamils in the island. Over 50 protests have been held to date nationwide in Australia.
The Tamil Diaspora protesters have vowed to continue their activism until their demands of protection of the Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka at met. Their most urgent demand is that of an immediate ceasefire to the conflict.
The Tamil community in Australia call on the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to acknowledge their grievances and use his diplomatic powers to put an end to the genocide of the Tamils. World leaders cannot stay silent any longer. They must work together to act now and put an end to what may be another Rwanda in the making.
Web-blog of protest - http://fastuntoaction.wordpress.com/
Media Contacts:
Mr Adrian Francis – 0420 522 099
Mr Mohan Raja – 0407 749 024
Dr Sam Pari – 0433 428 967
