Press Release
Availability for Comment Sri Lanka NOT safe for Tamils
"Romesh Javasingha is a spokesperson for the same Government who unlawfully imprisoned 300,000 Tamil civilians and mislead the international community about evidence of war crimes.
"It's time to stop enabling their lies."
Dr Sam Pari - Spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress (ATC)
"The Australian Tamil Congress completely dismisses claims made by Romesh Jayasingha, the permanent secretary to Sri Lanka's Foreign Affairs Minister, that Sri Lanka is a safe place for Tamils.
"These Tamils fled Sri Lanka because they feared persecution by the Sri Lankan Government. "If this threat was not real, why would the UNHCR approve their claims for asylum?" said Dr Sam Pari, Official Spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress.
"The Sri Lankan Government's history of misleading and deceiving the international community has been reinforced time and time again most recently, with the United Nations making public accusations about the possibility of complicity in war crimes.
"Sri Lanka is a country with a very dubious human rights record against ethnic minorities, including Tamils. These concerns are well documented in numerous reports by the United Nations, Amnesty International and the US State Department.
"Recently the Government of Sri Lanka was caught out by the United Nations for alleging a video showing a heinous war crime committed by the Sri Lankan Military was fake.
"Despite Sri Lanka's catergorical denial, experts from the United Nations declared the video to be genuine and called for an investigation into possible war crimes committed during the civil war in Sri Lanka which lasted for almost three decades", said Dr Pari.
Sam Pari, MD is available for interview on this topic Ph: 0433 428 967
Christmas Compassion for Merak
Availability for Comment
"From early on we have raised grave concerns about the medical attention available to the men, women and children on board the boat in Merak. This tragedy could have been prevented."
Sam Pari – Medical Doctor and Spokesperson for the Australian Tamil Congress (ATC)
"The death of George Jacob Samuel Christin, 29, an asylum seeker on board the Boat in Merak is a tragic call to action for the Australian Government.
"The Australian Tamil Congress is urgently calling for an immediate resolution to get these people off the boat. They have fled a war torn country, escaping ethnic persecution and suffering severe emotional trauma. It is inhumane to expect these people to suffer any longer than they already have.
"The Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and Norwegian governments have all come together to find a resettlement solution for those onboard the Oceanic Viking. Have they forgotten about the people clearly in need in Merak?
"The Australian Government needs to play a compassionate leadership role in our region. No one deserves to spend Christmas this way."
Dr Sam Pari is available for interview on this topic
Ph: 0433 428 967
ABC Interview with Dr Sam Pari- ATC Spokesperson
Press Release 19th August 2009
The Australian Tamil Congress (ATC) is a democratic organisation recently formed to care for the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils globally.
The ATC is urgently alerting the Australian Government and media to the increasingly catastrophic situation in Sri Lanka, - 300 000 Tamils detained in government controlled concentration camps now face the onset of monsoonal downpours.
