Tens of thousands march in Jaffna :
TAMILS ATTACK U.S RESOLUTION
Wrath also directed at Tamil MPs :
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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