petitions srilanka

உலகத் தமிழர்களுக்கு ஒரு அவசர வேண்டுகோள்: விரைவாகச் செயல்படுவோம்

தமிழ் மக்களுக்கும், நாளிதழ்களுக்கும் ஒரு வேண்டுகோள் இலங்கையில் போரின் போது நடைபெற்ற குற்ற செயல்களின் உண்மை நிலையை ஆராயும் குழு ஒன்றை ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபை நிறுவியுள்ளதை யாவரும் அறிவோம்.

இவர்களை இலங்கைக்குள் அனுமதிக்கப்போவது இல்லை என மகிந்த அரசு அறிவித்துள்ளது. அதனால் இக் குழு இலங்கை சென்று தனது ஆதாரங்களைத் தேடாமல், மக்களால் கொடுக்கப்படும் ஆதாரங்கள் மற்றும் உண்மைச் சம்பவங்களைப் பதிவுசெய்யும் வாய்ப்பு கிட்டியுள்ளது எனலாம். நேரடியாகப் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்கள், மற்றும் புகைப்படங்கள், ஆவணங்கள் போன்றவற்றை வைத்திருப்போர் உடனடியாக இக் குழுவை மின்னஞ்சல் மூலம் தொடர்புகொள்ளலாம் !

இந்தோனேஷியாவின் முன்னாள் சட்ட மா அதிபர் மர்சுகி தருஸ்மன் தலைமையில் நியமிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள இக்குழுவில் அமெரிக்க வழக்கறிஞர் ஸ்டீவன் ரட்ணர், தென்னாபிக்காவின் உண்மை நல்லிணக்கம் தொடர்பான ஆணைக்குழுவில் பணியாற்றியவரும் அந்த நாட்டை சேர்ந்தவருமான யஸ்மின் சூகா ஆகியோரும் இடம்பெற்றுள்ளனர்.

எனவே ஒவ்வொரு தமிழர்களும் அக்குழுவினர்களுக்கு மின்னஞ்சல் வாயிலாக போர்க்குற்ற புகைப்படங்களையும், காணொளிகளையும், ஆவணங்களையும் அனுப்பி வைப்போம். ஒவ்வொரு இணையத்திலும் இச்செய்தியினை வெளியிடுமாறு பணிவுடன் கேட்டுகொள்கிறோம், இதில் வேறுபாடுகளை மறந்து தமிழினத்துக்காக, அங்கே கொல்லப்பட்ட 40,000 ஆயிரத்திற்கும் மேற்பட்ட எமது உறவுகளுக்காக இதை நாம் உடனே செய்தாகவேண்டும். மேலும் நண்பர்களுக்கும், தமிழ் உறவுகளுக்கும் இந்த மின்னஞ்சல்களை தெரியபடுத்தவும்.

சகல தமிழ் இணையங்களும், ஐ.நா.சபையின் நிபுணர் குழுவுக்கு மின்னஞ்சல் அனுப்பும் இவ்விடையத்தை செய்தியாகபிரசுக்கவும்.

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1) Ms. Sooka Yasmin
Executive Director
Foundation for Human Rights

Her E-Mail: YSooka@fhr.org.za
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2)Mr. Steven R. Ratner
Bruno Simma Collegiate Professor of Law,
University Of Michigan Law School,
United States of America

His E-mail: sratner@umich.edu

------------------------------------------
3)Mr. Marzuki Darusman
c/o: Office of the Secretariat,
Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism
Office and Mailing Address:
Ground Floor, Ateneo Human Rights Center
Ateneo Professional Schools , 20 Rockwell Drive ,
Rockwell Center , 1200 Makati City ,
Metro Manila , Philippines

His E-mail: info@aseanhrmech.org

Petition to Change IIFA 2010 venue from Colombo

Global protest against Bollywood's support to promote Sri Lanka





To

Brand Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan & the Advisory members of India International Film Academy (IIFA)
Wizcraft International Entertainment, Subbas Joseph, Viraf Sarkari, Andre Timmins
Hritik Roshan, Salman Khan, Ameer Khan, Anil Kapoor, Lara Dutta, Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi, Irani Boman and the other artists planning to go to Sri Lanka.

Sponsors of IIFA: Videocon, Micromedia, Starplus TV, Panasonic, Shoppers Stop, Linc pens Idea, Grey goose, Reebok and other sponsors,

Organisations and supporters :
FICCI Management and participating members.
Unicef, Habitat for Humanity

Sir/Madam,

We, the concerned global citizens and lovers of Bollywood films demanding the “Wizcraft International entertainment” the organising company of India International Film Academy (IIFA) and its advisory board to move its award ceremony 2010 from Sri Lanka to some other country until justice is found.

As you are aware, war crimes against Tamil community by the Sri Lankan Government, and its military services are being exposed after investigation by many international human rights organisations (Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group) and particularly by the United Nations. Through media, we are witnessing the cruel proof of genocide of Tamils, unacceptable to the civilized world. [1], [2], [3], and [4]

Holding the IIFA awards celebrations in Colombo, will only help Sri Lanka hide its war crimes and ongoing ethnic cleansing.

We, who love Indian movies, its music and its dramatic stories, say that:
We are shocked that our favourite actors, actresses and musicians of Bollywood are becoming “collaborators” of Sri Lanka which is accused of massacring over 40,000 innocent men, women and children in the last days of the war. Sri Lanka also runs Nazi-style internment camps of nearly 150,000 Tamil civilians behind barbed wires depriving them food, medical care and proper hygiene since last year breaking international laws and Geneva Convention. [5]

Killing of more than 400 South Indian fishermen and wounding a thousand of them is also directly attributed to the Lankan Navy inside Indian waters and international waters. We are saddened to see the shocking footage of Channel 4 News (UK) which uncovered chilling evidence of point-blank executions of Tamils at the end of the war, carried out by uniformed Sri Lankan soldiers under orders from the top. [6]

“Human Rights Watch” (HRW) has released on May 20, 2010 a few pictures as samples of torture and killing of a Tamil man by Sri Lankan soldiers. HRW has in their possession, 200 of those horrible photos and videos as proof of Sri Lankan war crimes against Tamil population. [7]

Confirmations of stories are being exposed that the Sri Lankan army had knowingly slaughtered civilians and rebels who surrendered with white flags. [8] Evidences of mass burials of Tamil men, women and children by the Sri Lankan soldiers are surfacing daily, identical to such scenes of dead bodies of Jewish victims of the Nazi Germany. [9]

We are joining the world leaders like Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter, Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Elie Wiesel and Nelson Mandela in protesting against Sri Lanka’s war crimes of Tamils. [10]

We hope for the humane decision of actor and brand Ambasador of IIFA Amitabh Bachchan, to avoid the Bollywood celebrations in Colombo after listening to the Tamils. It is reported that his family members Aiswari Rai and Abishekh Bachchan will also skip the event. Shah Rukh Khan has also announced that we won't be participating in this event. [11]

We learn that the entire South Indian cinema related organisations (actors, actresses, directors, producers, distributors, technicians and theatre owners) have declared in a joint statement boycotting the IIFA event in Sri Lanka. They are also requesting the North Indian colleagues to do the same as symbol of solidarity with the Tamil people. [12]

We request the directors and member companies of FICCI follow the examples of well known Indians like Mr. Narayanamoorthy of Infosys and Dr. Swaminathan, the agricultural expert, who have refused to work with SriLanka. [13]

We would like to remind you that, today, even after more than sixty years of Jewish and Armenian genocide in Europe, war criminals and collaborators are being hunted and punished around the world.

We are convinced, through their communiqués that the main objective of the Wizcraft, IIFA and Sri Lanka partnership is to promote Sri Lankan tourism. “Cricket for charity” as announced by them lately is nothing but a philanthropical gimmick.

Sri Lankan Tamils need LIBERTY not CHARITY. It is an insult added to their wounds.

In these circumstances, we request the Wizcraft, India International Film Academy (IIFA) and Bollywood artists to change the location to any other country other than Sri Lanka. Failing to do so is a disservice to the film industry of India, unpatriotic to India, unsympathetic to Tamil victims and disrespect to the Bollywood fans around the world.

Thank you for signing the petition.

• IIFA showbiz event blamed for promoting ‘paradise of genocide’

Sign the Petition by Amnesty International: Call on the UN to Investigate War Crimes in Sri Lanka

One year after the end of the conflict in Sri Lanka, thousands of victims of human rights violations committed by both government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are being denied justice, truth and reparations. The complete failure of the Sri Lankan government to genuinely address this impunity means that the United Nations must step in and conduct an independent international investigation as a first step towards international justice.

The truth must be established about the extent of violations that occurred in the final stages of the war, when the government prohibited independent monitoring and reporting by the United Nations and other observers.

Stand together and urge the government of Sri Lanka to put an end to these violations by signing this petition that will be delivered to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon.

Please, Sign the Petition by Amnesty International: Call on the UN to Investigate War Crimes in Sri Lanka



takeaction.amnestyusa.org

Take Action You can help stop the abuse of almost one hundred thousand people in Sri Lanka today

Dear Secretary-General

With the anniversary of the military victory over the LTTE approaching, we thank you for your firm insistence on a credible investigation of war crimes committed by both parties to the conflict. We look forward to the announcement of an appropriately qualified committee of experts to ensure this.

Meanwhile, almost 100,000 Tamil civilians are still interned, about 6 months after the deadline for their promised release, and over 10,000 alleged LTTE supporters are still held in special camps. As the ICRC has still not been allowed to visit them without restrictions, we can only fear the worst for the treatment they are likely to be receiving.

Sadly, the nine original demands of the Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice remain unmet. We therefore urge you to appoint a permanent Special Envoy who can maintain daily effective international pressure on the issue of accountability for war crimes, while also securing a well-organised release of the internees. This must include, as an urgent first step, publication of the names and locations of all those still held in camps of any kind, including LTTE suspects.

Sri Lanka is becoming a role model for other repressive regimes. Your remit to protect human rights and promote peace can only become harder in the future if the Sri Lanka Government goes unchallenged. Please act now.

When you submit this form, the email will go to Ban Ki-Moon at the UN and your email address will be stored on our system. Your name and email address will be kept private and not passed to anyone else.
Click here to read the 9 demands of this Campaign

* Almost 100,000 innocent civilians who have survived a long and very bloody war are still imprisoned in detainment camps in northern Sri Lanka by their Government.
* These victims of war are being treated as prisoners and suffer from lack of water, sanitation and medical treatment, widespread disease and separation from loved ones.
* The Sri Lankan Government has severely restricted ICRC, UN and international NGOs' involvement, prolonging the misery and raising grave concerns about what is happening out of sight.
* Wartime policies continue with severe restrictions on the press and systematic use of extra-judicial murder and torture. Pro-government paramilitary groups have free run of the camps.
* The Government is now reportedly engaged in an ethnic 're-balancing' - moving Sinhalese and others into the region, while giving political control to Tamil war-lords it has selected.

But this is not just about Sri Lanka Today

* Sri Lanka - a conflict which has seen over 100,000 deaths over the last 25 years, with 20,000 civilians reportedly killed in the last days of this latest war - has been dismissed as too complicated and not important enough by foreign governments and the UN. The approval of a large IMF loan to Sri Lanka is evidence of just how little the international community cares.
* If this approach is allowed to continue, we are setting an awful precedent and forgetting everything that was said after Bosnia, Rwanda and Darfur.
* The Sri Lankan 'peace through war' model is already being promoted in Burma, Pakistan, and elsewhere.
* Having won the war, the Government's support for the illegal use of force and violence is now sowing the seeds of the next stage of this conflict.

If all the people who read this choose to act & send this email, it WILL make a big difference. Many in power have effectively abandoned the people in these camps - please don't abandon them too.

Demand justice for war survivors and an independent war crimes investigation

Demand justice for war survivors and an independent war crimes investigation

Since the war ended one year ago the humanitarian and human rights situation in Sri Lanka has deteriorated significantly. Inhumane camps for civilians still exist and in other parts of the country, journalists and human rights defenders are intimidated, abducted and tortured.

Credible allegations of war crimes are mounting and now its time the United Nations stood up to the Sri Lankan Regime.

Please sign the petition and urge the UN to launch an independent inquiry as recommended by groups including Amnesty, International Crisis Group and the Elders.

Name:
Email:

(If you would prefer to send your own message, you are free to edit this)


Dear Secretary-General,

It has been a year since the war in Sri Lanka came to end but the survivors - 300,000 Tamil men, women and children - continue to suffer at the hands of an authoritarian and brutal regime. 80,000 civilians remain captive inside camps run by the Sri Lankan Army and new evidence of physical abuse has started to emerge. Severe violations of human rights continue to be unmonitored, because independent observers and aid workers are denied unrestricted access to the camps. Even basic medical care is limited. Despite the many promises made over the past year to the Sri Lankan public and the international community, President Rajapaksa and his government have done little to bring about justice or reconciliation. The north remains under military control and outsiders have very little access. The south remains dangerous for media workers and human rights defenders who speak out against the state sanctioned atrocities. Many are forced to flee the country after suffering torture and other forms of intimidation. Credible allegations of war crimes have continued since the shocking footage of civilian executions was released last August. More recently, Channel 4 News uncovered chilling evidence of point-blank executions of Tamils at the end of the war, carried out by uniformed Sri Lankan soldiers under orders from the top. Calls for an independent investigation into these alleged war crimes have come from Amnesty International and the International Crisis Group. Sri Lanka suffers from a culture of impunity - each of the commissions of inquiry performed in the past 20 years has been a failure. As Secretary-General, you have the power to set up an independent international inquiry. We urge you to ensure these allegations are thoroughly investigated and that the perpetrators of torture and war crimes are brought to justice. As you have said yourself: there can be no sustainable peace without justice. Peace and justice, accountability and reconciliation are not mutually exclusive.

When you submit this form, the email will go to Ban Ki-Moon at the UN and your email address will be stored on our system. Your name and email address will be kept private and not passed to anyone else.