Attack on Tamil Daily in Sri Lanka. UN Urged to Intervene: TGTE

Tamil daily newspaper journalists, printing press and offices were repeatedly attacked by armed groups to intimidate and to silence Tamil newspapers.

(LONDON) - Armed men stormed a Sri Lanka newspaper office and opened fire, they also set the printing press on fire. Tamil journalists were repeatedly attacked and killed. As a result, Tamil areas are saturated with Sri Lankan Military; the ratio is one soldier for every four civilians, the highest in the world.

Executions, rape and abductions continue.

There were series of attacks against Tamil media and the latest attack took place against the main Tamil daily Uthayan, in the northern town of Jaffna on 13th. In a pre – dawn arson attack, armed men stormed the newspaper office and opened fire and set the printing press on fire.

The TGTE’s Minister for media, Mr. Suthan Raj urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to urgently convene a meeting to discuss the plight of Tamil journalists in that island and to take specific steps to protect the journalists, media workers, printing facilities and offices.

“Sri Lankan Government is continuing its attack and intimidation of Tamil media, despite condemnation from world leaders and the UN. That is why a meeting to address the critical situation of Tamil journalists should be convened.” Continued Mr. Suthan Raj.

Tamil areas in that island are saturated with Sri Lankan military personal and the ratio is one soldier for every four civilians, the highest in the world. Tamils face numerous human rights abuses including abductions, executions and rape. 90,000 Tamil war widows face sexual abuses by the security forces.

Tamil daily newspaper journalists, printing press and offices were repeatedly attacked by armed groups to intimidate and to silence Tamil newspapers. Even those distribute newspapers were not spared.

The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) today urged the UN to urgently intervene to protect Tamil journalists in the island of Sri Lanka.

Source: Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE):

Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is a new political concept. It is a new political formation based on the principles of nationhood, homeland and self-determination. The raison dâetre for the TGTE is lack of political space inside the island of Sri Lanka for the Tamils to articulate and realize their political aspirations fully due to Constitutional impediments, racist political environment and military strangulation; and the coordination of diaspora political activities based on democratic principles and the rule of law.

TGTE held internationally supervised elections in 12 countries. These elections were held to ensure that core believe of democracy be upheld within the TGTE and to demonstrate TGTE’s belief and reliance upon democratic ideals. TGTE has a bicameral legislature and a Cabinet. Although an elected body, TGTE does not claim to be a government in exile. The Constitution of the TGTE mandates that it should realize its political objective only through peaceful means.

Presently, in addition to the campaign for an international investigation, the TGTE is also campaigning for an International Protection Mechanism and the release of documents pertaining to Tamils prepared by the Office of the Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide. TGTE is also in the process of preparing the Freedom Charter incorporating the “freedom demands” of Tamils across the globe.

TGTE believes that the referendum among the Tamils inside the island of Sri Lanka and the Tamil diaspora will contribute to the political resolution of the Tamil national conflict. So far, the human cost has reached 100,000 as it grows. There are also 90,000 Tamil war widows, facing sexual abuse by the Sri Lankan security forces.

Web: www.tgte-us.org