Over 300 Rally Together Urging India to Recognize Tamils’ Right to Self-
Determination in Sri Lanka
Washington, D.C. Jan. 23, 2009 – More than 300 people gathered outside the Indian embassy to express their solidarity with Tamils in Sri Lanka. Tamil Americans from countries including India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka were joined by supporters in calling on India to intervene on humanitarian grounds to initiate peace talks, halt military assistance to Sri Lanka and recognize Tamils’ right to self determination.
Calling to mind the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, demonstrators simulated his famous fasting by dressing in modest attire and sitting in front of an empty plate, chanting “Land of Mahatma, people of India, don’t be silent on Tamil genocide.” The demonstration symbolized their support for Tamils in Sri Lanka
suffering from an enforced embargo by the Government preventing basic supplies like food and medicine from reaching people affected by the war.
The rally participants later submitted a memorandum to the Embassy of India urging India to recognize that historically and at present, Sri Lanka has been unable and unwilling to provide any sort of autonomy for Tamils. It recommended that a just political solution to the conflict could only be found by recognizing the Tamils’ right to self-determination, a fundamental principle of international law.
The rally follows a report by Genocide Prevention Project last month declaring Sri Lanka to be on “Red Alert” along with Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and 5 other countries due to the presence or likelihood of mass atrocities. Sri Lanka has figured in all 5 ‘expert’ indexes tracking genocide.
The rally was organized by Tamils Against Genocide and joined by members of Americans for Peace in Sri Lanka.
For more information, members of the Press are invited to contact
Dr. Paul Crossette via email:
info@TamilsAgainstGenocide.org or by phone: 510-593-7871.
