Tamil Canadians will hold vigils in multiple Canadian cities to urge the
International Cricket Council(ICC), all cricket associations and teams to
boycott Sri Lanka due to the confinement of nearly 300,000 civilians in
barbed-wire camps. The initiative will also urge politicians from all
cricketing nations to take a lead in upholding human rights by pressing
for this boycott.
The vigils will happen outside the New Zealand High Commission and
consulate offices in Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver on Wednesday, August
5, 2009 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The New Zealand offices were selected for
the vigils as the New Zealand Black Caps are set to arrive shortly in Sri
Lanka for a cricket tour.
“Sri Lanka has not played by the rules when it comes to nearly 300,000
civilians who have been illegally confined in internment camps with no
freedom of movement to leave,” said David Poopalapillai, National
Spokesperson for the Canadian Tamil Congress. “Sri Lanka has violated
international law with its actions and, its behavior should not be
endorsed or ignored with the presence of nations which follow
international rules not only for sporting events but in all walks of
life.”
Human Rights Watch has called the internment of the nearly 300,000
civilians illegal and Amnesty International has reports of camp detainees
facing torture, disappearances, and sexual violence. Aid and media
organizations continue to face restrictions on their access to these
camps. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka was ranked 165 out of 173 countries in the
world for its crackdown on free press in 2008 by Reporters Without
Borders.
“As Canadians, we believe in the upholding of human rights around the
world,” said David Poopalapillai, national spokesperson for the Canadian
Tamil Congress. “Many Tamil Canadians have brothers, sisters, uncles,
aunts, mothers and fathers in these camps, and the world must make the
case to Sri Lanka that it will not watch silently while Sri Lanka not only
detains these people but curtails access to aid workers at a time when
water, medicines and other relief supplies are desperately needed.”
Since Sri Lanka has continued to ignore calls from western nations to free
these detainees, Tamil Canadians urge cricketers to follow similar actions
taken to successfully protest against apartheid in South Africa. “Tamil
Canadians believe a boycott of the Sri Lankan cricket team will send the
message to Sri Lanka that it is morally wrong to run modern-day internment
camps, restrict aid organizations and repress the media,” Mr.
Poopalapillai said.
Event Details
WHAT: Vigils to urge cricketing bodies and nations to boycott Sri Lanka
WHERE:
New Zealand Honorary Consul
Toronto
965 Bay Street, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M5S 2A3
New Zealand High Commission
99 Bank Street, Suite 727
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6G3
New Zealand Consulate-General
Vancouver
Suite 1200, 888 Dunsmuir Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 3K4
WHEN: August 5, 2009
International Cricket Council(ICC), all cricket associations and teams to
boycott Sri Lanka due to the confinement of nearly 300,000 civilians in
barbed-wire camps. The initiative will also urge politicians from all
cricketing nations to take a lead in upholding human rights by pressing
for this boycott.
The vigils will happen outside the New Zealand High Commission and
consulate offices in Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver on Wednesday, August
5, 2009 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The New Zealand offices were selected for
the vigils as the New Zealand Black Caps are set to arrive shortly in Sri
Lanka for a cricket tour.
“Sri Lanka has not played by the rules when it comes to nearly 300,000
civilians who have been illegally confined in internment camps with no
freedom of movement to leave,” said David Poopalapillai, National
Spokesperson for the Canadian Tamil Congress. “Sri Lanka has violated
international law with its actions and, its behavior should not be
endorsed or ignored with the presence of nations which follow
international rules not only for sporting events but in all walks of
life.”
Human Rights Watch has called the internment of the nearly 300,000
civilians illegal and Amnesty International has reports of camp detainees
facing torture, disappearances, and sexual violence. Aid and media
organizations continue to face restrictions on their access to these
camps. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka was ranked 165 out of 173 countries in the
world for its crackdown on free press in 2008 by Reporters Without
Borders.
“As Canadians, we believe in the upholding of human rights around the
world,” said David Poopalapillai, national spokesperson for the Canadian
Tamil Congress. “Many Tamil Canadians have brothers, sisters, uncles,
aunts, mothers and fathers in these camps, and the world must make the
case to Sri Lanka that it will not watch silently while Sri Lanka not only
detains these people but curtails access to aid workers at a time when
water, medicines and other relief supplies are desperately needed.”
Since Sri Lanka has continued to ignore calls from western nations to free
these detainees, Tamil Canadians urge cricketers to follow similar actions
taken to successfully protest against apartheid in South Africa. “Tamil
Canadians believe a boycott of the Sri Lankan cricket team will send the
message to Sri Lanka that it is morally wrong to run modern-day internment
camps, restrict aid organizations and repress the media,” Mr.
Poopalapillai said.
Event Details
WHAT: Vigils to urge cricketing bodies and nations to boycott Sri Lanka
WHERE:
New Zealand Honorary Consul
Toronto
965 Bay Street, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M5S 2A3
New Zealand High Commission
99 Bank Street, Suite 727
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6G3
New Zealand Consulate-General
Vancouver
Suite 1200, 888 Dunsmuir Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 3K4
WHEN: August 5, 2009