Shocking Video Evidence Confirms Tamil Genocide

An investigative video documentary aired by ABC's Four Corners program last night showed convincing video evidence of executions, atrocities and the shelling of Tamil civilians during the final stages of the war in Sri Lanka. Described by ABC as "one of the most confronting stories of war and conflict ever seen on Australian television", this documentary confirms what the Tamil community has been stating for years – war crimes and a campaign of genocide was conducted by the Sri Lankan state against the Tamil people.

Sri Lanka's military campaign against the Tamil Tigers which came to a bloody end on 18 May 2009, took the lives of up to 100,000 Tamil civilians. A report by a UN Expert Advisory Panel found credible allegations of war crimes and called for an independent international investigation into war crimes in the island. Sri Lanka however has vehemently opposed such an investigation.

Sri Lanka's President is due to visit Perth for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting and with Sri Lanka competing with Australia to host the next Commonwealth Games, serious questions are being raised now of whether the island should be a member of the Commonwealth.

Furthermore, despite their counterparts in other western nations welcoming the findings of the report and backing the Panel's recommendations, the Australian government has still not publicly commented on the report or on the issue of war crimes in Sri Lanka.

"With thousands of refugees from Sri Lanka arriving on our shores, our government fails to realise that Sri Lanka's human rights abuses are affecting Australia too," says Dr Sam Pari, spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress. "Our silence is helping the perpetrators escape with impunity," she says.

Media contact:

Dr. Sam Pari, Spokesperson, Australian Tamil Congress – 0433 428 967

Ms. Varuni Bala, Australian Tamil Congress – 1300 660 629