Tens of thousands march in Jaffna :
TAMILS ATTACK U.S RESOLUTION
Wrath also directed at Tamil MPs :
Rasika Somarathna
Tens of thousands of Tamils from the North joined a rally in Jaffna
yesterday to condemn a US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the
UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The protestors said undue pressure on
Sri Lanka will harm the hard won peace and ongoing development.
Protestors described the US led resolution as an attempt to undermine
Sri Lanka’s postwar reconciliation and development and an ‘infringement
on Sri Lanka’s sovereignty.’
Some banners by protestors stated: ‘Hands off Sri Lanka, do not
disturb our unity, we want time and space to develop and sustain peace’.
The protest march began around 10.30 am from the ancient Muniyappar
Kovil.
The protestors later held a meeting near the main bus stand after
parading the streets for several hours.
The protestors also burned an effigy of UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights Navi Pillay. They later handed over a petition to the
Northern Governor.
One of the organisers of the protest, political activist Angajan
Ramanathan said such resolutions will not benefit the people in the
former conflict affected North and East.
“If the sponsors and supporters of such acts are genuinely concerned
about supporting the conflict affected people, what they should do is
help ongoing government endeavours at strengthening reconciliation and
development,” he said.
Ramanathan said the government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa had
been able to restore normalcy and rebuild the conflict affected areas
which had not enjoyed such comforts for more than three decades.
He said all of this had been achieved in the short span of four
years. Ramanathan said some local politicians who call them as the sole
representatives of Tamil people were behind a hate campaign against Sri
Lanka overseas. This, he said, was done for personal benefit and petty
political gain and not for anything else. Ramanathan questioned whether
these so-called representatives of Tamils have actually done anything to
benefit the people.
“These are the ones who keep rejecting governments call for talks.
These are the ones who engage in behind the scene maneuvers to stall
development in the north and east,” he added. Protesters through a
petition to the Governor urged the international community to support
government efforts at peace, harmony and development instead of calling
for action which will only harm such positive gains.
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