A Group petitioning for peace in Sri Lanka is urging South Africans to respond to human rights violations in that country as they did for people caught up in the fighting in Gaza.
The Solidarity Group for Peace and Justice in Sri Lanka was launched in December 2008 to unify solidarity work and raise awareness in South Africa about the ongoing conflict on the island.

The Tamil Tigers have been fighting to secure the northern and eastern regions of Sri Lanka as a separate state in a conflict which has seen the deaths of an estimated 70000 people.The solidarity group’s secretary, Richard Govender, said Sri Lanka had become a “humanitarian crisis”.

“The international community, particularly the superpowers, are not concerned about the atrocities and genocide in Sri Lanka. Right now we need all types of intervention from countries who can help, particularly South Africa and India.”

Govender said they wanted to get South Africans to rally behind the victims in Sri Lanka as they did for victims in Gaza.

“The world’s attention was focused on the situation in Gaza and look how everyone responded.“One life lost is one too many, no matter where it takes place. But Sri Lanka, which has had 60 years of bloodshed, does not get the TV screen time that Gaza gets,” he said.

He said it was difficult to send humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka.

“We appeal to South Africans to put pressure on the government so that a humanitarian corridor can be put in place.”

On Friday the group held a march in Pietermaritzburg, calling on the South African government to escalate its attempts to intervene in the crisis.The government released a statement saying: “South Africa will continue to support any efforts aimed at bringing about peace and reconciliation.

“We believe that a lasting and sustainable political solution will be best achieved through broad consultation and peaceful dialogue among all the people of Sri Lanka. We therefore urge both parties to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible.”

 Source: The Times South Africa

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Mr.

To day the Sl Govt. is trying its best to show the world that they are great wariors by killing the innocent tamils who are in Wanni. Gothabaya Rajapakse encourages the army to rape the innocent tamil girls and ladies. Recently compulsory abortion has been done on about 800 ladies who wre getting out of the Wanni. The yellow roped thugs of Jathiga Hela Urumaya who are supposed to preach buddhism to the Buddhists. Apart from this they say TULF Sampanthan to be in the priso nfor telling the actual happenings in Wanni. The prime minister says even the tigers put down the arms they should not be negotiated for talks. So the 100 % of the Sinhalese wants Ceylon (Sinhala Srilanka) as a Sinhalese country. So this is very clear that Tamils can't live with them any morewhich will end up in two states namely Sihala Srilanka and Tamil Eelam.

Maha , February 27, 2009

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