TNA appeals to international community to ensure security to Tamils
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 21 June 2006, 09:59 GMT]
"We wish to impress upon the International Community that the Sri Lankan State is failing in it duty to give adequate protection to the Tamil civilian population. We wish to impress upon the International Community that it should intercede and compel the Sri Lankan State to fulfil its obligations to the Tamil civilian population. The atmosphere of unbridled impunity now prevalent should be brought to an end," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in statement made in the Sri Lanka's parliament Wednesday on the rapidly deteriorating plight of Tamil civilian population in the North East region of the country, parliamentary sources said.
The Speaker Mr.W.J.M.Lokkubandara allowed a request of Mr.Sampanthan to make a statement as a matter of public importance which related on the rapidly deteriorating plight of Tamil civilian population in the North East region in the country, sources said. "It is clear that the security and auxiliary forces are acting with utmost impunity. If the present situation continues the plight of the Tamil civilian population can only get infinitely worse," Mr.Sampanthan said. He added, "If it is the duty of the Government to rein under its control, its security and auxiliary forces. The Tamil civilian population are entitled to live in their homes and villages without being subjected to the harassment, intimidation, sexual assault, destruction and killings that they are presently being subjected to." Mr.Sampanthan in his three-page statement outlined several incidents which have terrorized Tamil civilians and brought about the present situation. He further said: "The Tamil civilian population in the North East were victims of a cruel war for over a period of two decades. Almost a million Tamils were displaced, large numbers were internally displaced, and substantial numbers fled the country. The Tamil speaking people in the North East were also victims of tsunami disaster in December 2004." "No satisfactory arrangements were made by the State, to resettle and rehabilitate the affected Tamil speaking people or to reconstruct the substantial damage caused both by the war and tsunami disaster. Whatever relief was provided came from international bodies and non-governmental organizations. The efforts to set up an Interim Self Governing Authority to resettle and rehabilitate the displaced Tamil people and reconstruct the North East were scuttled. The Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (PTOMS) was aborted. The Tamil speaking suffered much deprivation and substantial numbers continued to languish in refugee camps and welfare centres. It is in this background that substantial numbers of Tamils are once again being dislocated and are compelled to flee their homes and villages. Over three thousand Tamils have fled across the seas to India. The situation is deteriorating rapidly, and it is imperative that further deterioration be arrested," said Mr.Sampanthan in his statement.
|