Tamil people welcome the U.S. decision to impose a travel ban on Sri Lankan Military officers and their families for gross violations of human rights
Tamil people welcome the banning by the United States of America’s (U.S.) Department of State of the two Sri Lankan army officers and their immediate families from entry into the U.S., citing their involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely for their involvement in killing groups of innocent Tamil civilians.
Similarly, last year on February 14, 2020, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement designating Shavendra Silva ineligible for entry into the U.S. due to his involvement in extrajudicial killings and gross violations of human rights, citing serious and credible evidence.
These are important steps in the right direction to hold Sri Lanka accountable. While we welcome these efforts, there needs to be a comprehensive effort in identifying all those responsible for the mass atrocity crimes committed against the Tamil people. We are hopeful that the current United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) evidence collection process will clearly identify all perpetrators.
The current Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a U.S. National and Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary in 2009 conducted the military offensive committing mass atrocity crimes in which the UN estimate suggests that more than 70,000 innocent Tamil civilians were killed. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph, the Catholic Bishop of Mannar noted in his statement to a government commission on January 8, 2011, that according to the Sri Lanka government’s own census that 146,679 Tamils remain unaccounted for since the end of the war.
We request all other like-minded and democratic countries to take the stand of the U.S. Targeted travel bans and asset freezes should be imposed on Gotabaya Rajapaksa and others under his command, who are alleged to have committed mass atrocity crimes as supported by credible evidence already recorded. Also, the Sri Lankan State and the alleged war criminals should be subject to independent and international judicial processes. The request of victims for remedial justice and a permanent political solution has been kept unresolved despite seven-decades of genocide in the island of Sri Lanka.
Thank you
For Contact details:
Australian Tamil Congress (ATC): +61300660629, mano_manics@hotmail.com
British Tamils Forum (BTF): +447814486087, info@britishtamilsforum.org
Irish Tamils Forum (ITF): 0035389959270, irishtamilsforum@gmail.com
Maison du Tamil Eelam (France): +33652725867, mte.france@gmail.com
National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT): +14168307703, info@ncctcanada.ca
Solidarity Group for Peace and Justice (SGPJ – South Africa): pregasenp@telkomsa.net
Swiss Tamil Action Group (STAG): swisstamilag@gmail.com
Tamil Movement Against Genocide (Mauritius): +230 5728 5505, tamilmagen0@gmail.com
United States Tamil Action Group (USTAG): +12025953123, info@theustag.org
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