The Australian Tamil Congress is appalled at the decision to invite Sri Lanka's president to attend the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony.

The Sri Lankan government is accused of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity in its war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Although Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group have called for independent investigations, Sri Lanka has remained defiant, including by refusing visas to a panel experts from the United Nations.

"The Commonwealth members should exert pressure on the Sri Lankan government, as they did with Zimbabwe and Fiji," says Dr Sam Pari, spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress.

"Sri Lanka is an embarrassment to the Commonwealth. It has an atrocious human rights record and latest constitutional amendment which removed the term limits for a sitting president shows that it is only becoming less democratic," she added.

Sri Lanka lost its bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games. It also recently lost its bid to Australia to host the next Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting.

Sri Lanka is now competing with Australia to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Mr Rajapaksa's home town, Hambantota.

Media contact:

Dr Sam Pari – 0433 428 967