Los Angeles Lankans protest UN interference
Hassina Leelarathna
Sri Lankans angered over the Darusman report took to the streets of
downtown Los Angeles Sunday adding their voices to the thousands
marching in the traditional May Day parade.
Anti UN protest in Los Angeles by Sri Lankans |
Displaying a colourful giant banner that said "UN's Ban Ki Moon,
Imperialist Puppet, Hands Off Sri Lanka" and carrying posters that
called on the UN Chief to stop harassing Sri Lanka, the contingent
joined dozens of other groups, including trade unions, immigration
advocates, and anti-war organizations, at the corner of the Olympic and
Broadway, in the heart of the city's commercial district.
Rohan Gunasekera said he was proud to be able to stand up for his
native country and that what the UN Secretary General was doing to Sri
Lanka by trying to implicate it in war crimes will ultimately impact
workers. Sri Lankans were not alone in their condemnation of the United
Nations chief.
Michael Prysner, a member of Act Now to Stop War and End Racism
(ANSWER), the umbrella group responsible for organizing the May Day
march, said the UN has failed in its obligations and is a 'mouth piece'
of the western powers.
"The United Nations is nothing but the rubber stamp for the leading
super powers to bomb and invade the countries they deem necessary to
conquer," said the former US soldier.
He said that in Libya a small armed resistance group had tried to
start a civil war and it was a matter for the people of that country to
resolve.
"There was instant involvement by the UN which escalated the
situation and killed scores of more people... and you can see in every
other case that this idea of humanitarian intervention targeted
countries that were independent and that are now in the sphere of global
imperialism."
Prysner, an Iraq war veteran, is well-known in the anti-war movement
for the testimony he provided charging human rights violations and
atrocities by the US military during the Iraq invasion.
Union organizer Beatriz Paez was equally vocal about the UN's
complicity in approving a war agenda: "It is totally shocking how the UN
has simply allowed the imperialists to bomb Libya and start another war
killing innocent civilians," She called on Sri Lankans in Los Angeles to
become more involved in organizations such as ANSWER and have their
voices heard.
The Sri Lankan contingent caught the attention of members of other
participating groups who wanted to learn more about the UN's meddling in
Sri Lanka. |