Hindu Council UK backs 'Friends of the Tamils'
(2 June 2009)

The Hindu Council UK (HCUK) this week called a meeting at the Highgate Murugan Temple in Archway Road, North London, for all those considering themselves to be 'Friends of the Tamils,' to agree a resolution calling upon the Sri Lankan Government to take immediate measures to preserve life in the region. The HCUK meeting also agreed to urge the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Mayor of London's Office and the Greater London Assembly to increase pressure on the Sri Lankan government to stop a human tragedy unfolding in Sri Lanka.

All present agreed that in order to prevent a deepening humanitarian crisis in the North of the country, the government of Sri Lanka must without delay: -

• Provide adequate shelters, food, medicine, clean drinking water and sanitation, with private bathing facilities for women. These essentials should be maintained in all camps until every Internally Displaced Person (IDP) is settled into their own homes.
• Allow unhindered and unconditional access for UN Monitors and media personnel to all areas in the North East of the island.
• Uphold human values for any prisoners of war in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
• Allow all IDP camps to be managed by local NGO'S and INGO'S, supervised if necessary by UN Independent Monitors.
• Fast track care for all particularly vulnerable IDPs - mainly the elderly, women and children - within the next 30 to 60 days.

The HCUK meeting also agreed to urge the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Mayor of London's Office and the Greater London Assembly to increase pressure on the Sri Lankan government to stop a human tragedy unfolding in Sri Lanka.

Following the meeting, Anil Bhanot, General Secretary of HCUK said:"The British Tamils protesting in Parliament Square are doing so as a cry for help; their country has been devastated by both militant and military operations and they feel few people care for their wellbeing. When politicians such as the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Kit Malthouse, make comments about the image and cost of their demonstration, they feel even more isolated and powerless. It is shameful that in a country like Britain, when people are so desolate that they feel compelled to demonstrate peacefully and go on hunger strike, their protest is valued only in monetary terms. The British government needs to immediately reassure the Sri Lankan and Indian communities in the UK that it is doing all it can to help."

Dr Vairvapillai Rajayogeswaran, President of the British Tamil Forum, said "As the military confrontation has now ended, it is essential that an honest attempt be taken to resolve the political status of the Tamil community in Srilanka. While we trust that an end to terrorism in Sri Lanka will mark the beginning of a new era of peace in the region, new challenges must now be addressed. The atrocities are not yet over. The whole world ' and particularly the global Hindu Diaspora - is watching to see what the consequences for Sri Lanka will be. Terror and military acts have brought terrible suffering to civilians in the country. Lives are being lost as of today; the monsoon is coming and the camps will soon have disease and more deaths if the Sri Lankan government does not act immediately.'