Australian Tamil Congress

Malcolm Fraser reiterates call for Australia to reconsider attendance at CHOGM in Sri Lanka

Media Release – 26 April 2013

Malcolm Fraser reiterates call for Australia to reconsider attendance at CHOGM in Sri Lanka

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, the Australian Greens and the Australian Tamil Congress have joined over 2700 individuals to request that Prime Minister Julia Gillard reconsiders attending the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka.

This call comes as the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) meets in London today (26 April).

A variety of international human rights groups including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Elders are calling for a shift in the venue for this year’s CHOGM.

The petition (http://chn.ge/ZtzGS1) appeals to the Prime Minister to follow the example of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and announce that she will not attend CHOGM if there is no progress in Sri Lanka's human rights.

It has been launched by the Australian Tamil Congress and is part of a wider global campaign to stop Sri Lanka from hosting CHOGM.

ATC Chair Dr Raj Rajeswaran says, "The CMAG meeting is a watershed moment for the Commonwealth's relevance and commitment to its core principles of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, rule of law, judicial independence and good governance. Australia should review its unconditional support for CHOGM in Sri Lanka and use its position as Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth to place Sri Lanka formally on the agenda at the CMAG meeting today"

Greens Senator Rhiannon said "It is time Australia shows leadership on Sri Lanka, instead of being best friends in order to manage Tamils fleeing torture, rape and discrimination, arbitrary arrests at the hands of the brutal Rajapakse regime.

"It is wrong that a country that stands accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity is allowed to build international legitimacy by using international bodies such as CHOGM,” Senator Rhiannon said.

For media comment please call: Dr Rajeswaran 1300 660 629 Lee Rhiannon 0487 350 880

Link to petition: https://www.change.org/petitions/prime-minister-reconsider-chogm-2013-in-sri-lanka

Concern grows for welfare of ASIO detained refugees on hunger-strike

Media contact:
Mr. Bala Vigneswaran, Australian Tamil Congress – 0404 404 777

ATC Launches Petition in Australia-Reconsider attending CHOGM 2013

Australian Tamil Congress proudly launches the Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice's petition for Commonwealth Summit in Australia- Reconsider attending CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lanka.

Several eminent persons, human rights advocates, NGOs have already made statements why they believe Sri lanka should not host CHOGM 2013. Australia has pledged it's unconditional support.

 The petition has been endorsed by:

* Professor Raj Rajeswaran, Chairman, Australian Tamil Congress
* Lee Rhiannon, Senator, The Australian Greens
* David Shoebridge, Member of the NSW Legislative Council, The Greens
* Bruce Haigh, Former Australian Deputy High Commissioner in Sri Lanka
* Professor Jake Lynch, Director, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, The      University of Sydney
* Professor Damien Kingsbury, Director, Centre for Citizenship, Development and Human Rights Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University
* Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees AM, Director, Sydney Peace Foundation
* Antony Loewenstein, Independent journalist and author

Please sign this petition and promote it widely. We are working on having this campaign endorsed by several other organisations.

https://www.change.org/petitions/prime-minister-reconsider-attending-chogm-2013-in-sri-lanka

We thank The Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice http://srilankacampaign.org for this initiative.

Australian Tamil Congress cautiously welcome UNHRC Resolution on Sri Lanka

Human Rights Watch Report reveals rape and sexual abuse of Tamil Women by Sri Lankan Forces

Australian Tamil Congress (ATC) is deeply disturbed by the contents of a report released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) which recounts 75 statements from Tamil victims who say they were raped and tortured by soldiers, police and other pro-government para-military after being told “We will teach you a lesson”. Thirty-one of the victims allege they were raped after the cessation of Sri Lanka's long-running civil war in May 2009.

“Rape and other sexual violence of detained men and women by the security forces during and after the cessation of the armed conflict strongly suggests that sexual abuse has been a key element of the use of torture and ill-treatment against Tamils,to break their resolve through the deprivation of their dignity” stated ATC spokesperson Varuni Bala.

She further stated that one of Australia’s recommendations to Sri Lanka during October 2012 UNHRC Universal Periodic Review was “to reduce and eliminate all cases of abuse, torture and mistreatment by police and security forces”, a recommendation rejected by Sri Lanka.   

Now with the ongoing UNHRC session in Geneva, it is an opportune moment for Australia to work with US, UK , Canada, the European Union and other countries in formulating a strong resolution that is to call for the setting up an international mechanism to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during and after the end of the war, added Varuni Bala..

Australian Tamil Community also calls upon the Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon Bob Carr to refer Sri Lanka to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), whose mandate includes the disciplining of countries that violate the association’s basic principles.  In the absence of tangible progress in human rights, accountability and rule of law since the UNHRC session in March 2012, Australia should review its level of participation and support for the next CHOGM summit in Sri Lanka,  stressed Varuni Bala.

Media Contact: Varuni Bala, Australian Tamil Congress 1300 660 629