forum-aginst-war-crimes-and-genocide.pdf

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Forum Against War Crimes and Genocide

[email protected] www.warcrimesandgenocide.org

July 2011

About the Forum:

Forum against War Crimes and Genocide is a platform for Human Rights Activists / Organizations and

other concerned Civil Society Organizations to share their concerns, debate and campaign against war crimes,

crimes against humanity and Genocide. This forum was initiated with a view of holding discussion on UN

Expert Panel Report on Accountability in Sri Lanka and Report of the Permanent Peoples Tribunal, Dublin (PPT).

The necessity of a forum against war crimes and genocide has been recognized unanimously given the growing

inclination of several states attempting to apply the Sri Lankan model to suppress the voices of minorities and

ethnic nationalities around the world. Sri Lankan leaders advocate that any country faced with terrorism and

insurgencies should follow Sri Lanka model.

War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and Genocide in Srilanka:

The military conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

that ended in May 2009 had left several thousands of people (Tamil civilians) dead and resulted in the

confinement of three hundred thousand Tamil civilians in the army controlled camps. The nature and conductof this war against LTTE was not restricted to the imagination of war as between two armed forces. It revealed in

conduct of the war and celebrations of the victory by the Sri Lankan State and the Sinhala civil society that this

was a war against the ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka not a War on Terror as claimed by the Sri Lankan government.

The Sri Lankan State and its armed forces had demonstrated all the components of a strategy of final solution to

end the ethnic question in Sri Lanka. The routine bombings inside the civilian areas including the schools and

hospitals, extraordinary number of civilian deaths inside the No-Fire Zones declared by the government and

finally the internment of three hundred thousand Tamil civilians inside the camps reveal a premeditated policy

strategy and military conduct of this war.

The Times (London) revealed that the aerial photographs, official documents, witness accounts and

expert testimony tell a story of Sri Lankan governments fierce barrage of three weeks of constant shelling

inside the five-kilometer area where 300,000 Tamil civilians were left stranded. Amnesty International alsoconfirmed that the Sri Lankan armed forces launched indiscriminate attacks with artillery on areas densely

populated by civilians. Hospitals were shelled, resulting in death and injuries among patients and the staff.

The people in the camps were kept like cattle in the camps without any basic hygiene and living amenities. Sri

Lankas then Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva observed that the law of the country does not show

any interest in these IDPs. I openly say this. The authorities can penalize me for telling this. I visited relief

villages where Vanni IDP families are sheltered. I cannot explain their suffering and grief in words. It is an utter

lie if we continue to say that there is only one race and no majority or minority in this country. (Cited in The

Hindu, Chennai Edition, 6th June 2009).

There is a growing evidence of genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka. While the Permanent Peoples Tribunal

(Dublin Tribunal) and the UN Advisory Panels Report have recognized the war crimes and crimes against

humanity committed by the Sri Lankan Government, the consideration of these acts as genocide is a matter of

technical debate. The UN Advisory panel and the most Human Rights advocates agree that the means and

methods employed by the Sri Lankan government in the name of counter terrorism amounts more than the war

crimes and crimes against humanity. The Sri Lankan government responded to UN report that the

recommendation of international investigation of war crimes would hamper the on-going reconciliation in the

island. The continuation of State Emergency even two years after the end of war , the militarized civil

administration and the ongoing Sinhalese settlement in the Northern island does not augment the so-called

reconciliation process in the island.

Srilankan Model of State Terrorism: China and Russia have come up openly in support of Sri Lankan

government and against the call for international war crimes probe. The Indian government remains a silent

witness to the sufferings of the Tamils after supporting the military efforts of the Sri Lankan government. Is thisa final solution for the Tamils in the island nation? How should we respond to the acts of State terrorism and

the ongoing genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka? How many more innocent lives should be sacrificed before the

global community recognizes the genocide in Sri Lanka? How do we ensure the accountability of the Sri Lankan

State for its acts of oppression, State terrorism and genocide of the ethnic Tamils? Numerous states with

insurgencies have begun to look at Sri Lanka as a model. There are growing evidence about Sri Lanka becoming

a model for countries facing ethnic conflict and political resistance. This dangerous precedent should be

challenged. About 44 nations including India, participated in a seminar titled Defeating Terrorism: Sri Lankan

Experience in Colombo conducted by Sri Lankan Army in June 2011. Forum against War Crimes and Genocide

appeals to all democratic and progressive forces in the country to join and support this civil society initiative in

addressing this political and humanitarian crisis not only in Sri Lanka but also help to prevent its occurrence

anywhere in the world. Public awareness across the nation about the genocide of Tamils is inevitable and it can

be made through the civil societies and human rights activists.


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July 2011

Forum Committee Members:

Chairperson: Prof. Haragopal

TN: Save Tamils Movement, Prof. Manivannan (University of Madras), Mr. Gana Khurinji (PUCL), Ms.Amarantha

(Latin American Friendship Association).

Andhra Pradesh: Prof Haragopal (APCLC). Mr. Suresh, (Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee, APCLC), Mr.

Murali (Human Rights Forum, HRF), Mr. Narayana Reddy (OPDR), Mr. Lateef (Civil Liberties Monitoring

Committee, CLMC), Prof. Chakrapani (Ambedkar Open University), Sramika Sangala Samakya, Janavignana

Vedika, Venugopal - Editor Veekshanam, Chandhna Chakrabarthy SUKNI, Revolutionary Writers Association.

Karnataka: Mr. Ramesh and Mr. Nagari Babiah (Peoples Democratic Forum ;PDF), Mr. Deepu (Pedestrian

Pictures), Karnataka Student Organization, Karnataka Jana Sakthi & Karnataka Vidhyarthi Vedika, Samatha

Vedika (All India Progressive Womens Association), Mr. Sivalingam (Dalit Self Respect Movement), Mr.

Jagdeesan (New socialist Alternative/Tamil Solidarity), Mr. Shivsundar (Columnist), Prof Carlos, Prof Paul

Newman, Mr. Tamil Maravan and Mr. Rajan, Mr. Ravanan and other representatives from Karnataka Tamil

Makkal Iyakkam and Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam respectively.

Kerala: Mr. Pouran (PUCL).

Delhi: Peoples Union for Democratic Rights, Delhi Tamils Students Union

West Bengal: In discussion with Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) and Sanhati.

State committee yet to be formed in Maharashtra, WB, Delhi, Central India and other states, following which a

National committee with representation from each state is to be formed.

Contact:

TN: Mr. George, Save Tamils Movement: 8144255588

Karnataka: Mr.Deepu,Pedestrian Pictures: 9448367627

Andhra Pradesh: Mr.Suresh, APCLC:09490740515

Kerala: Mr.Pouran, PUCL:09446250219

Delhi: Mr. Ashish, PUDR: 09873315447


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July 2011

Forums Demands:

To the United Nation and International Community:

- United Nations(UN) and the International Civil Society(ICS) should seek and insist on an independent,impartial, international investigation into the war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide

committed by the Sri Lankan government and its authorities.

- UN and ICS should demand and ensure that the Sri Lankan state allow free access to media andinternational humanitarian agencies.

To the Indian government and the Democratic forces in India:

- We appeal to all the democratic forces in India to pressurize the Indian government to seek and support anindependent and impartial investigation into the war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide

committed by the Sri Lankan government. We also demand the Indian government to publish a white paper

on its foreign policy with Sri Lanka and the military assistance provided to Sri Lanka since UPA government

sworn into power in 2004.

- We demand the Indian Government to accept and act upon the Resolution made in Tamil Nadu StateAssembly on 8th June to approach the UN to declare as war criminals those who are responsible for killing

thousands of Tamils in Sri Lanka and also join hands with international community to impose economic

sanctions

To the Tamil Nadu government:

- The newly elected Tamil Nadu government formed by AIADMK, as committed by its leadership duringelection campaign, should pass a resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly condemning the war crimes and

genocide of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. The state government should also seek and support an

international legal trail against the Sri Lankan government and its authorities for their role in war crimes,

crimes against humanity and the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Forum against War Crimes and Genocide appeals to all democratic and progressive forces in the country to join

and support this civil society initiative in addressing the political and humanitarian crisis not only in Sri Lanka but

also help to prevent its occurrence anywhere in the world. Public awareness across the nation about the

genocide of Tamils is inevitable and it can be made through the civil societies and human rights activists.

Chairperson, Forum Against War Crimes and Genocide.


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July 2011

Activities till now:

23rd

July: Hyderbad, AP: Hall Meeting speakers: Prof. Ghanta Chakrapani, N Venugopal, (Editorveekshanam), Chandhana Chakrabarthy (The March), V Narayana Reddy (Organization for the Protection of

Democratic Rights (OPDR), K Murali, Human Rights Forum (HRF), Lateef Mohammed Khan (Civil Liberties

Monitoring Committee (CLMC), D Suresh Kumar (APCLC), Prof. Ramu Manivanan (University of Madras)

23rd

July: Nellore, AP: Public Protest against Genocide of Tamils in Srilanka

5th

July: Nellore, AP: Hall Meeting speakers: writer Vara vara rao and Prof. Manivanan


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July 2011

4th

July: Hyderabad: Round Table Meeting with civil liberty organizations.

2nd July; Bengaluru: Hall Meeting titled War Crimes and Genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka

2nd June; Bengaluru; Launch Meeting of the Forum

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