Get News & Views Updates
Progressive Community
The press releases posted here have been submitted by
America's Progressive Community
For further information or to comment on this press release, please contact the organization directly.
Most Popular This Week
Today's Top News
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Amnesty International - USA AIUSA media office, 202-544-0200 x302, lspann@aiusa.org |
Amnesty International Calls on President Obama to Urgently Act to Prevent Human Tragedy in Sri Lanka
Human Rights Organization Urges the President to Put His Words Into Action
WASHINGTON - May 15 - Amnesty International calls on President Obama to urgently act to prevent the indiscriminate killing of civilians in the current conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka.
The human rights organization appreciated the strong comments by President Obama on May 13, in which he said that he was "saddened by the desperate news" coming out of Sri Lanka, and "without urgent action, this humanitarian crisis could turn into a catastrophe."
President Obama said political issues must be set aside to "put the lives of the men and women and children who are innocently caught in the crossfire" first.
"The crisis is already a catastrophe. It's time--right now--for President Obama to put his words into action on behalf of Sri Lankan civilians," said Amnesty International USA's deputy executive director Curt Goering. "Any further delay will have drastic consequences for the people caught in the crossfire."
These calls follow reports from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that its staff is witnessing an "unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe" in Sri Lanka. The ICRC said yesterday that its ferry had been unable to deliver aid or evacuate the wounded for three days. No humanitarian organization can help civilians in the current circumstances. The United Nations told the BBC that the next 24 to 48 hours would be critical.
The total estimated casualty figures of the conflict since January are more than 7,000 killed and 13,000 injured.
Comments
Note: Disqus 2012 is best viewed on an up to date browser. Click here for information. Instructions for how to sign up to comment can be viewed here. Our Comment Policy can be viewed here. Please follow the guidelines. Note to Readers: Spam Filter May Capture Legitimate Comments...


7 Comments so far
Show AllPresident Obama please INTERVENE MILITARILLY. Only US can Intervene because
***Only naval option can do some thing
***My suggestion is as per news item http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/15/stories/2009051556181000.htm
***only American navy has presence in the area.
**American navy has assed the ground
**it has drawn up options.
***NO OTHER COUNTRY HAS DONE THIS---
***Only a military which has done some ground study can intervene quickly.all other options will lead to another rwanda
**AMERICA IS THE ONLY MILITARY AVAILABLE IN THE AREA, WITH PLAN
**Tamil people and all well wishers should act in a way to activate American plan
this is the only way to stop war
Are you asking the US government to bail out the LTTE - an internationally banned terrorist organisation? A terrorist group that recruits child soldiers by force, holds innocent civilians as human shields against their wish, bought T55 battle tanks and aircrafts with tsunami/welfare funds, and commits unimaginable acts of violence..?
Seriously!
Sri Lanka Puts Obama to the Test — and He's Failing so Far!
Other than the statement on May13, Obama administration is yet to wake up to the reality on the ground.
During the campaign, Obama hinted at how his future Administration might act to stop suffering in the world. American foreign policy should focus on more than just killing terrorists; it needs to address "challenges of the 21st century" such as "climate change and poverty, genocide and disease."
"When genocide is happening," said candidate Obama during the second presidential debate, "when ethnic cleansing is happening somewhere around the world and we stand idly by, that diminishes us." The emerging Obama doctrine seemed to signal a new age of liberal interventionism — the idea that the U.S. has a right and obligation to intervene, by force if necessary, to protect civilians from war and ethnic violence, even in places where the U.S. has no vital national interests at stake.
Where is the promise President Obama??
The UN Security Council unanimously decided that the situation in Sri Lanka is purely internal and has no concern to worry. What is worrying the international community is the fact that LTTE is holding civilians hostage, and firing at anyone who attempts to escape their terror grip. The military forces also have recovered the Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher and the cannons that LTTE fired at the civilians. Plus the propaganda images and their original versions are now available online, at www.defence.lk if you want to see the other side of the story.
There is only one solution for the Srilankan tamil's problem, the independent, sovereign state of Tamil Eelam.
The relentless massacres of Tamil civilians in vanni by the Sri Lanka state over the past few months had resulted in almost 10,000 deaths and More than 20.000 seriously wounded.
U.N. also said last month that 6500 civilians had been killed by the government in the prior 90 days, with another 10,000 injured.
In this juncture international community must come forward to help without fail to create an independent, state of Tamil Eelam.
As long as the Tamils are oppressed, Sri Lanka will never be able to live in peace.
Dear Mr. President Obama!
Please intervene militarily or other way and save innocent Tamils.
In Sri Lanka, a democratically elected government is fighting a war with an internationally-banned terrorist group to release innocent civilians who are held hostage against their will. That is the simple truth, and by now, the people are free and LTTE is defeated.
If anyone thinks that there is a “Tamil Genocide” happening as the pro-LTTE, pro-terrorists claim, please consider the following:
- It was the LTTE that mass-murdered Sinhala and Muslim communities in the north and east, burnt villages and hacked pregnant women and children to death; starting from Kent Farm and Model Farm. They even bombed places of worship, including the most holiest Temple of the Tooth, killed innocent people while praying at Sri Maha Bodhi and numerous Muslim mosques. They are the ones who “systematically eliminated chosen communities” from the North and the East during the last 30 years – committing genocide.
- Sri Lankan Tamils constitute to 4.3% of the total population (plus another 5% of Indian Tamils), while the Muslims are around 8.0%. If there is a “minority” problem prevailing in Sri Lanka as the pro-terrorist Tamils claim, how come the Muslims, Malays, Burgers and other minorities have no problems in living in harmony with the rest of the community, all around the country? Just think about that.
– Sri Lanka switched to a “Provincial Council System” abolishing a central government system to accommodate the Tamil demands, and many times over and over again Tamil leadership was offered democratic rule. There were many cease-fires. Every single time, LTTE resorted to violence and rejected the democratic process, ultimately leading to unimaginable suffering of the Tamil community that lived in LTTE-held areas. LTTE is a terrorist group that deserves to be wiped out. Period. Eastern province is liberated and run by Tamils who are participating in the democratic process of the country. So stop supporting the LTTE if you are a true Tamil.
– Indian Tamils tried for a separate state in the past and failed. Sri Lanka was their next target and Indira Gandhi is the one who trained the militants under RAW to de-stabilize Sri Lanka that was a possible economic threat to India in the late 70's. Backed by Tamil Nadu's Karunanidhi, Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee even promised LTTE leadership that India would support and sponsor a separate state for the Tamils in Sri Lanka, IF all the Tamil warring factions fought against the Lankan government, colectively. Instead, LTTE systematically eradicated PLOTE, EROS, EPDP and EPRLF - and were let down by the Indian leadership. Sadly, these pro-separatists who are pawns of Tamil Nadu, are fighting for a separate land in Sri Lanka. Why not choose Tamil Nadu for your motherland and leave Sri Lanka alone?
– LTTE has murdered political figures, statesmen, intellectuals and more innocent civilians with bus bombs, suicide attacks and other means. The number of civilians died in the Sri Lankan Military advance to re-capture a territory of over 150,000 square kilometers (except the No Fire Zone that became the hub of LTTE activity), was almost zero.
– Sri Lankan Military held a cease-fire for 48 hours on April 13th & 14th, LTTE didn't let go of the civilians trapped in the No Fire Zone and nothing happened. If LTTE silenced their guns for 48 hours, all the civilians trapped in the No Fire Zone have escaped, harmless. LTTE is what caused the suffering of the Tamils, not the Sri Lankan government.
I urge you to STOP pro-LTTE propaganda; and look at the facts. The UN and ICRC are already working with the government. Numerous dignitaries including the UN Officials have visited the centres for Internally Displaced Persons and they have commended the efforts of the government.
Please stop playing arm-chair politics, Sri Lanka and its displaced civilians need the help of the international community, now, more than ever. What is required is not a military intervention, but humanitarian assistance, channeled through the World Food Programme, UN and the ICRC.
Sri Lanka is a wonderful country that is a haven for any peace-loving person, immaterial of race, religion or cast. Go there, live there, and understand the difference between terrorism and tolerance.
Thank you.
Obama Act now ... with in 24 Hours if you really care about Tamils.. and u really stand with the word C H A N G E that you came with. If there is no Change in your mind then Too bad honorable president you are SUPPORTING GENOCIDE !!
STOP THE G E N O C I D E !!
LET NATO IN THE WAR ZONE !!!