UKTamilNews.com

British PM meets Tamil delegates

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met delegates of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) conference in London where the British Foreign Secretary David Miliband addressed the gathering.

Delivering the inaugural address of the GTF conference held at the British parliamentary complex on Wednesday the foreign secretary called upon the Sri Lankan government to make constitutional changes aimed at power sharing.

The Sri Lankan government protested against Foreign Secretary Miliband ‘s decision to address the Tamil diaspora gathering describing it as a pro LTTE organisation that poses a ‘direct threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka’………………….http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2010/02/100224_milband.shtml

Miliband calls for Investigation into War Crime.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband speaking at the Global Tamil Forum Conference in London a short while ago  called for an investigation into War Crimes committed by the Sri Lankan government and LTTE called for constitutional changes and power sharing in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile a Spokesperson at the British High Commission in Colombo, in a statement said that in Miliband’s speech to the Global Tamil Forum, the Foreign Secretary, will re-emphasize that a peaceful, political solution is the only way to produce a lasting answer to Sri Lanka’s conflict.  “It is for all Sri Lanka’s people to decide what that solution should look like.  The UK firmly believes that the only way to achieve lasting and equitable peace in Sri Lanka is through genuine national reconciliation. The UK will engage with all members of the Sri Lankan community who share this goal, whether overseas or in Sri Lanka. Foreign & Commonwealth Office officials regularly meet with members of the Sinhalese, Muslim and Tamil communities in the UK to discuss this and other developments in Sri Lanka,’’ the Spokesperson said.

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Today’s Global Tamil Forum, more reaction to GSP+, and Liam Fox’s latest visit to Sri Lanka

By MCDONAGH, Siobhain <MCDONAGHS@parliament.uk>

• Liam Fox MP, Conservative Defence spokesperson

• £50,000 donation to Liam Fox from a businessman whose company makes parts for the Defence industry, as well as a £3,000 return flight to Colombo.

• Press Release from Conservative International Trade spokesman

I have just popped out of the first ever Global Tamil Forum meeting in the House of Commons. The event has been arranged in Parliament by colleagues including Keith Vaz, Joan Ryan and Virendra Sharma. I’ve just heard the Prime Minister speak of his support for the Forum, and earlier in the day David Miliband gave a very supportive speech. I also said a few words, and so too have senior members of the other political parties, including William Hague.You might have seen the Forum was reported in The Times today – http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7038481.ece.

The full article is at the foot of this email, but it suggests the Sri Lankan Government is “incensed” about Britain’s steadfast support for the Tamil people. Nevertheless, I hope the Forum is a great success, and look forward to future events.
Meanwhile, there has been more reaction on GSP+. You will remember that the British Labour Minister Gareth Thomas MP was a great help to those of us who think Europe shouldn’t give preferential terms to Sri Lanka until it sorts out human rights abuses against the Tamil community. I am afraid that the Conservative Party’s reaction to the decision on GSP+ has not been as positive. David Cameron’s official International Trade spokesman in Europe Robert Sturdy MEP has criticised the decision, calling it a “heavy-handed action”. Here is a link to his press release: http://robertsturdymep.com/2010/02/16/robert-sturdy-raises-concerns-about-sri-lankan-trade-concessions/

Anyway, I hope this is all of interest. As always, please do stay in touch with me if you’ve any comments or feedback.My very best wishes,Siobhain McDonagh MP

PS 1 – Liam Fox MP, Conservative Defence spokesperson

Mr Fox is a regular visitor to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Government has paid for several visits there, including in November 2007, March 2008, March 2009 and August 2009. In addition, in November 2009 the Sri Lanka Freedom Party National Convention paid for a visit. The November 2009 visit was to attend the Freedom Party’s annual conference as one of their international guests. I gather that as an international guest he would have been in the company of Iranian, Chinese, Russian and Vietnamese representatives, among others.

It’s not yet clear who paid for this month’s visit, or how much it cost, but based on the estimated value of previous trips, it looks as though Sri Lanka flew him first class, and paid for some good hotels.

For further disturbing questions about Mr Fox’s involvement in Sri Lanka go to http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/02/questions-fox-must-answer-over-close-links-to-sri-lankan-dictator/

Finally, for details of Mr Fox’s paid visits to Sri Lanka, go to the Register of Members’ Interests: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/liam_fox/woodspring#register. This includes details of a £50,000 donation to him from a businessman whose company makes parts for the defence industry, as well as a £3,000 return flight to Colombo.

PS 2 -Today in The Times

Miliband risks Sri Lanka’s wrath to support Global Tamil Forum
Jeremy Page, South Asia Correspondent

Relations between Britain and Sri Lanka are likely to hit a new low after David Miliband addresses a meeting of Tamil activists from around the world at the Houses of Parliament today.

The Foreign Secretary is due to make the opening speech at the inaugural meeting of the Global Tamil Forum, which campaigns for selfdetermination for Sri Lanka’s ethnic Tamils and to bring to justice perpetrators of alleged war crimes during the island’s 26-year civil war.

William Hague, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, is to make the closing address to the meeting, which will be attended by several other MPs in an unprecedented display of cross-party support for Sri Lanka’s Tamils after the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels last year.
“It’s great support for us,” S. J. Emmanuel, the president of the forum, told The Times. “The British Government, more than any in the world, knows our history and are most competent to understand our situation.”

He said that the group advocated non-violence and an international boycott of Sri Lankan goods and wanted war crimes charges brought against Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Defence Secretary, and Sarath Fonseka, the former army chief.

Sri Lanka’s Government is sure to be incensed as it regards many of the forum’s members, especially the British Tamils Forum, as fronts for the Tigers, who are banned as a terrorist organisation in the EU. Sri Lankan officials have long accused Britain of secretly supporting the Tigers.

The Foreign Office defended Mr Miliband’s decision to address the meeting. A spokesman said: “The UK firmly believes that the only way to achieve lasting and equitable peace in Sri Lanka is through genuine national reconciliation. The UK will engage with all members of the Sri Lankan community who share this goal, whether overseas or in Sri Lanka.”

The Tigers launched their armed struggle to create an independent homeland for Tamils in northeast Sri Lanka in 1983 to try to protect them from discrimination at the hands of the ethnic Sinhalese majority.

PS 3 – Press Release from Conservative International Trade spokesman

Conservative International Trade spokesman in Europe Robert Sturdy MEP, said the European Commission decision to remove trade concessions to Sri Lanka would punish innocent Sri Lankans. The trade concessions are referred to as GSP + status.

Mr Sturdy added that human rights violations cannot be ignored but called on the European Commission to work closely with the Sri Lankan government in tackling any violations instead of punishing the country as a whole.

In a statement Mr Sturdy said, “I am concerned about the impact that the removal of these trade concessions will have on development in Sri Lanka. Trade is the principal means for development and by taking away their GSP + status, you are limiting the country’s ability to grow.

“I wrote in December 2009 asking the Commission what the economic impact would be if it decided to remove Sri Lanka’ GSP+ status. I am still awaiting a response. Now we have a new Trade Commissioner, with a background in development policy, I would hope for some real answers.

“It goes without saying that human rights violations cannot be ignored. I am calling on the Commission to work closely with the Sri Lankan government over the next few months, to assess the efforts being made to tackle any violations, and to consider how it will support the innocent Sri Lankan people who will suffer as a result of this heavy-handed action.”