GTF calls on heads of government to boycott CHOGM in Colombo
Tuesday, 10 September 2013 00:21
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The Tamil Diaspora organisation, the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) has called on the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo this November.
The GTF has written saying that it will weaken the Commonwealth’s commitment to core principles of human rights and democracy, and endorse actions of a government accused of responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. In a letter addressed to all Heads of the Commonwealth, GTF President Rev. Dr. S.J. Emmanuel has stated that the Commonwealth in 2009 had agreed to defer CHOGM in Sri Lanka until 2013, as a response to the grave allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by both sides during the conflict, and to act as an incentive to improve the human rights and political situation in the country. “However, it is clear that these issues have not been addressed and no progress has been made. The recent damning critique of the ground realities in Sri Lanka by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has exposed the emptiness of President Rajapaksa’s promises,” the letter has noted. The letter has also been forwarded to the Prince of Wales and to the Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma.
