REFUGEE

The end of the 180 day period promised by Sri Lankan President Rajapakse to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on May 23, 2009 for the release of 300,000 Tamils detained in internment camps in Sri Lanka was marked by Tamils and friends of Tamils from United States and Canada in Washington DC on Nov 20, 2009.

A spokesperson for the organizers of the event, The United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) commenting on the continuing internment of Internally Displaced Tamils said:

“These people are being subjected to collective punishment for their demands for political, social and cultural rights in their own traditional homeland. We support all efforts to allow these innocents to return freely and with dignity to their homes in a secure environment.”

Dr. Ellyn Shander of USTPAC spoke at the event urging for the release and freedom of movement of all Tamils detained in internment camps in Vavuniya and other smaller camps in North and East.

A media release by USTPAC pointed out that two thirds of these Tamils continue to be detained in poor conditions without accountability, family reunification or a timetable for release.

As Sri Lanka and even some United Nations press releases trumpet “resettlement” of Internally Displaced Tamils, there have been reports such as from The Washington Post that verify many civilians are being re-detained.

Emily Wax wrote on Nov11th in The Washington Post that, “many civilians have merely been shuffled from the large camps to smaller transit ones and are being held against their will. Others have been released, only to be taken from their homes days later with no indication of where they have gone”.

Participants expressed concern that the Tamil Internally Displaced Persons are being forced to relocate away from their original homes and in the process being denied of their livelihood and dignity by the govt. of Sri Lanka.

Several reports of allegations have been published recently about state sponsored colonization in areas where Tamils fled during the war

The USTPAC event also honored the selflessness and perseverance three young men from Toronto, Canada who walked to Washington, DC through Chicago, IL to ‘Break the Silence’ about abuses against Tamils in Sri Lanka during and after the war.

Two of the walkers, Kannan Sreekantha and Vijay Sivaneswaran walked through the heartland of America

Tamils also observed the 194th day of the Continuous Tamil Awareness Rally taking place at near Washington DC on this day.

The rally began with march from Upper Senate Park to the Lafayette Park in front of the White House.

USTPAC media release sights UNHCR and other sources, that many people “supposedly being released” are “simply being moved to more dispersed detention centers. Many of those actually released are left on the streets without resources or the right to return to their homes”.

Tamil Canadians too continue to take part in the “non-stop” awareness rally, taking place opposite The White House

Rally attendees carried placards on Sri Lankan officials allegedly committing “war crimes”.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for an independent international investigation of possible violations of the laws of war in Sri Lanka, after US State Department issued a report on Sri Lanka situation on October 22, 2009

Mounted Police of Washington DC on this sunny fall day

Tamils and friends of Tamils from USA and Canada attended the rally on Nov 20th

The White House vicinity was decorated with flags of America and India, welcoming the visit of Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh to meet President Barack Obama on Nov 24th.